


Memories Of Others

by TheBeardedOne



Category: Naruto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 128,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27879606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBeardedOne/pseuds/TheBeardedOne
Summary: Sometimes a technique can lead to new discoveries, new paths. A chance discovery lets Naruto learn that which he was never taught... using the memories of others to aid his progress.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Path Of A New Genin

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been transferred across from FFN as part of the Great Story Migration. If it seems familiar, it may be because Valentine20xx asked very politely for permission to take the basis of the story and do a re-interpretation of it, permission that was happily granted.  
> I reiterate, Valentine20xx is doing a re-interpretation, not plagiarizing this story.
> 
> [The Memories of Others](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704579/chapters/56916073) by [Valentine20xx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valentine20xx/pseuds/Valentine20xx)

"… _and you know why everyone hates you?" Mizuki sneered from his position on the tree-branch. "It's because twelve years ago, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, killing many ninja until it was stopped by the Fourth Hokage who sealed it away…"_

" _Mizuki, no!" Iruka shouted._

"… _into the form of a baby!" Mizuki continued with evil glee. "That baby was you, and you are the nine-tailed fox! And now I shall finish what the Yondaime started!"_

_..._

_Naruto stood above the beaten and battered form of Mizuki, surrounded by hundreds of Kage Bunshin._

" _Ahahahaha, I… kinda got a bit carried away…" He explained weakly as Iruka limped over. The clones started to vanish as Iruka stopped before Naruto._

" _Close your eyes." The Chunin smiled._

" _Huh?"_

" _Trust me."_

_Naruto closed his eyes and felt his goggles being gently removed from his forehead, then something was tied on in its place. Slowly reaching up, his nervously questing fingers found a fabric band an on that band, a metal plate. The plate wasn't newly-minted like those he had seen on those class-mates of his who had graduated, but the edges of the inscribed leaf were still easily felt by his fingertips and the edges of the plate, although nicked and slightly scarred, were still solid._

_Naruto slowly opened his eyes and saw Iruka smiling proudly at him, his forehead bare of the Hitai-ate that now adorned Naruto's brow._

" _You… I…?"_

" _Congratulations, Genin Naruto." Iruka said gently. "You are a true ninja of Konoha now, and of all my class, I am the most proud of you."_

_._

_Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled at the scene in the crystal ball on the desk in front of him, then he reached out and placed the official stamp on a piece of paperwork that he had been filling out while watching the events unfold._

" _Well done, Naruto-kun." He whispered quietly. "You've taken your first step to achieving your goal."_

_The piece of paper on the desk was placed into a small folder. As it vanished, the words at the top were briefly highlighted by the lamp in the corner of the room._

_**Form 451979  
** _ _**Confirmation of Field Promotion In Peacetime  
** _ _Academy Student_ _Uzumaki Naruto_ _**– Promoted to** _ _Genin (012607)  
_ _**Promoting Officer –** _ _Senior Chunin Umino Iruka (011850)  
_ _**Seconded By –** _ _Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen (000261)_

.

* * *

.

Naruto woke up with a huge smile on his face as he opened his eyes to see, placed on the small wooden box that served as his bedside table, the slightly-battered-and-scratched Hitai-Ate that confirmed beyond all doubt that the events of the previous night hadn't been a dream.

He was a ninja!

And in just one week, a mere seven days, he would be assigned a team of his own, letting him prove just how totally awesome he was!

As long as he wasn't teamed up with Sasuke, that broody bastard…

Naruto shook his head to clear away the depressing thought. Taking a deep breath of morning air (and he really needed to get tht window fixed), he bounced out of bed, before scampering into the bathroom to shower, then he paused and created a clone.

"Head to the kitchen and make me some breakfast." He commanded and the clone nodded.

"Okay, but hurry up."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the clone, then turned the tap to switch on the shower. Shedding his pajamas, he jumped into the shower cubicle…

"COOOOOLD!"

The clone snickered as it switched the kettle on.

.

Naruto finished tossing on his orange jacket.

"Mmmm, Chicken Ramen." He smiled, then he paused. "Hey, how did I know that?"

For a moment, Naruto frowned, then he shrugged. "Meh, maybe I smelled it. Ah, whatever. Time to eat!"

Pausing to adjust the small sigil on his shoulder, Naruto bounced into the kitchen to devour the rameny goodness awaiting him.

"Itadakimasu! Mmmmmm!"

.

.

The morning was bright and cheerful as Naruto closed the door to his apartment. Unlike normal, he didn't lock it, a fact that was explained as the door re-opened and another Naruto stepped out, this one holding a bag of rubbish in its free hand.

"We'll have the apartment tidied up by the time you get back, Boss."

"Good." Naruto nodded, mentally noting how useful _Kage Bunshin_ were. "Now if there was only some way to get some _decent_ food…"

"Blasphemy!" The clone gasped. "Ramen is the food of the Thousand Kami!"

Naruto chuckled in agreement, then turned to continue his interrupted journey. "I'm going to have a walk round, maybe visit the old man to ask who's on my team… and why am I even telling you that? You're me!"

The clone laughed. "We'll get things done for you. Good luck with our team… maybe Sakura-chan'll be on it. As long as the teme isn't, she might stop hitting us!"

"That would be _amazing_!" Naruto said dreamily, then he turned and walked towards the stairs. "Wish me luck, me's."

"Good luck!" Three of the clones chorused and Naruto left, chuckling.

.

Three hours later, his good mood had almost vanished, although the average (non-ninja) observer wouldn't have been able to tell. Whenever he walked near a crowd, he would hear whispers along the lines of _"How could they let IT become a ninja?"_ or _"It won't be long before that THING snaps and goes on a killing spree."_ As well as several other comments which showed that they had known all along about his burden, but had put the same interpretation on it as Mizuki had.

Turning, Naruto strode through the entrance of the Hokage Tower and scampered up the stairs.

"Heya Jiji!" He called and his adoptive grandfather looked up from the paperwork he was perusing with a smile that lightened Naruto's heart.

"Naruto, it's good to see you." He said as he waved for Naruto to take a seat. "So, what brings Konoha's newest Genin into my office today?"

Naruto grinned at the reminder of how he had attained the long-desired rank.

"Well, I was wondering who was going to be on my team." Naruto admitted. "I'm sure you'd just love to give me the hat and all, but even I know that's not gonna happen yet."

"Very true." Hiruzen agreed gravely, although Naruto caught the gleam of laughter in the old Shinobi's eyes. "The teams are still being arranged and the Jonin-Senseis assigned to them"

"Cool." Naruto breathed, then he frowned. "So that means…?"

"That I can't tell you what the teams are right now." Hiruzen supplied. "You know, in just one week you'll know which team you are going to be assigned to and who your Jonin-Sensei will be."

"As long as I get an awesome one, it'll be cool!" Naruto exclaimed, then he blinked as a blur deposited even more paperwork on Hiruzen's desk.

"Why don't you head out to get your official photo taken for the files." Hiruzen suggested. "And tomorrow, after you bring the photo and I approve it, I'll take you out for some celebratory Ramen."

"You're the greatest, Jiji!" Naruto exulted, his previous good mood fully restored. "One awesome pic coming right up!"

Hiruzen laughed as Naruto bounced out of the office, then sighed as he looked at the top sheet of paperwork.

.

"So… how do I find where to get the photo?" Naruto muttered to himself as he walked down the main street.

"Naruto?"

Naruto looked round to see who had called him, his gaze coming to rest on a familiar dark-haired girl who was staring at him from beside a taller, red-eyed woman with longer midnight-black curly hair. A brief moment's thought brought up the younger girl's name.

"Heya, Hinata!" Naruto called as he jogged over, grinning hugely as he pointed at his Hitai-ate. "I made it! I'm a ninja too!"

"I heard about that." The taller woman said and Naruto gave her a curious look. "I'm Jonin Yuhi Kurenai."

"Pleasedtameetcha." Naruto replied. "Genin Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!"

Hinata giggled, then gave a small bow. "Probationary Genin Hyuuga Hinata, Honored to meet you."

"Wait." Naruto said, "Probar… probee…probanana… a whatsit genin? I thought you passed?"

"The others who passed the Academy exam are all currently probationary genin, they will become full genin when they are taken as students by a Jonin-sensei." Kurenai explained. "You were granted a field promotion, so even if you don't get a Jonin-Sensei, you'll still be an official genin and able to take missions."

Hinata gave Naruto an awed look and his grin grew wider.

"Yep, I'm awesome. So, whatcha doing? We don't get teams 'till next week, so why are…?"

"We are going to be working on my chakra control." Hinata said quietly. "I need to build up my reserves."

"Chakra control." Naruto groaned. "That's my weak point, I blew up the leaf last time I tried!"

"It sounds like you almost certainly have too much chakra." Kurenai mused. "If you wish, I can teach you a new exercise that should be fairly easy for you, then you can work your way back down _to_ leaf floating."

"So, training?" Naruto exclaimed. "Count me in! Umm, if that's okay with you, Hinata. I mean, she is _your_ teacher, right?"

"It's fine!" Hinata squeaked, turning red and Naruto grabbed her shoulders.

"Hinata, you're turning red! Are you getting a fever? Let me check your temperat… ARGH! Kurenai! Hinata's collapsed!"

"She'll be fine." Kurenai smiled. "However, if I can ask a favor…"

Naruto gave Kurenai a quizzical look. "Favor?"

"Well, it's a bit of a walk to the practice grounds…"

.

"…and this is where we are going to practice." Hinata heard as she regained consciousness to find herself being carried on someone's back. For a moment, she thought that she was being carried by Kurenai, but the hair against the side of her face was all wrong for that.

"Wow, cool place." Naruto's voice said and Hinata frowned mentally. It wasn't Kurenai who was carrying her and Naruto was nearb…

Hinata's thoughts hiccuped to a stop as she realized that it was _Naruto_ who was carrying her, but before she could do anything, Naruto was speaking again.

"Let me put Hinata down… _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A wave of chakra seemed to flow through Hinata, engulfing her in a feeling of protectiveness, then she heard Kurenai gasp.

"Oh, how did that happen?" Naruto asked and Hinata opened her eyes, glancing round…

To see herself staring back at her from the back of _another_ Naruto.

"Good heavens…" Kurenai breathed, her gaze switching rapidly between Hinata and her unexpected clone. "I know that the _Kage Bunshin_ technique duplicates what someone is carrying, but to duplicate an _entire person_?"

Hinata took advantage of Naruto's shocked stillness to lower herself to the ground, an action copied by her clone. Both girls glanced at each other, then looked down, tapping the tips of their forefingers.

"Well." Kurenai said slowly. "I see that Hinata's clone has her mannerisms… Clone Hinata, what was the last flower you pressed?"

"A bell flower." The clone replied and Hinata nodded in agreement.

"So… you have Hinata's memories too. Do you know what Naruto had for breakfast?"

The clone shook her head and Kurenai _hmmmm_ 'd thoughtfully.

"I've never seen this done before," She finally admitted, "But it would seem that you've somehow cloned Hinata as a by-product of cloning yourself. Even having just found out about it, I can tell you that once word spreads amongst the Jonin, you'll become _the_ favorite support ninja in the village for A- and S-ranked missions. Which means we _need_ to keep this quiet, or enemy shinobi will target you specifically in order to stop you boosting our forces."

"…I don't get it." Naruto admitted and Kurenai sighed.

"Sit." She commanded, sinking to the ground and the others followed suit, the two Hinatas descending gracefully while the two Narutos simply flopped into a seated sprawl. "Now, about your potential as part of a team. If you manage to learn _how_ you cloned Hinata, you could potentially do it for an entire group at once, thus doubling their numbers. Repeat it enough times, and Konoha could field an entire army comprised purely of A- and S-ranked shinobi, each at full power and with all their abilities. Imagine having a dozen Hokage's step onto the battlefield with another dozen in reserve. _No_ enemy would choose to stay around at that point."

"Yeah, Jiji showed me some of his skills when I was younger." Naruto agreed. "He's awesome."

"And _that_ is why we need to keep it a secret for now." Kurenai stated. "If I can see that potential, so can Konoha's enemies and until you get strong enough to defend yourself against enemy Jonin, we need to keep this skill quiet."

"So… I can't use clones?" Naruto asked and Kurenai sighed at the proof that he had missed the point she was trying to make.

"You can use as many clones as you want, just _don't_ clone anyone else unless they already know about it and have given permission." Kurenai stated. The two Narutos turned to look at Hinata and her clone.

"I don't mind." One of the Hinata's said quietly.

"On the plus side, you using clones can help with your training." Kurenai added and both Narutos stared at her in incomprehension.

"Huh?"/"Huh?"

"Indeed." Kurenai said, rising. "Naruto, stay here. Clone Naruto, come with me."

Naruto watched his clone follow the Jonin to the edge of the clearing before they vanished into the trees, then a memory popped up in his mind.

"I'm going learn how to walk on water? Awesome!"

"How did you know that?" Kurenai called as she walked back towards him, his clone nowhere to be seen.

"You told me." Naruto said blankly, then he paused. "How? I was here, but you told me behind that tree… I don't understand…"

"I told your clone, then dispelled him." Kurenai explained as she reached them. "When you dispel a _Kage Bunshin_ , you get back all their memories, in this case, me explaining what the first exercise for you will be."

Naruto stared at her for a moment. "I… think I get it. So, everything they learn, I get back?"

Kurenai nodded. "Yes, but too many memories at once will hurt your brain or worse, so we'll work our way up slowly."

"I did several hundred clones when I beat up the traitor." Naruto supplied.

"And how long did it take?"

"Uummmm, a few minutes?"

"So a few minutes times a hundred or so clones is maybe four or five hours-worth of memories, and since you were concentrating on one thing, most of those memories will have blurred together." Kurenai mused. "Create… _four_ clones for now and we'll train for an hour before dispelling them so you get their memories. That should be fairly safe and we can work our way up to higher numbers."

"Yay, training!" Naruto shouted as he flipped to his feet and made the clone-seal. " _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"


	2. Training Of A New Genin

Kurenai shook her head in bemused amusement as she looked at her audience. After explaining to Naruto (in very simple terms) the memory-transfer function of the _Kage Bunshin_ and how it could be used to help training in ninjutsu and in recon, she had demonstrated the water-walking technique and Naruto had sent a quartet of clones to practice. Her next demonstration, tree-walking, had left Naruto gobsmacked for a moment before he had generated another four clones and sent them to practice, joined by the accidentally-created clone of Hinata while Kurenai covered some of the basic knowledge that Naruto had somehow failed to acquire during his days in the Academy.

"…so, now I've explained the difference between shinobi ranks and official ranks, do you have any questions?"

"Iruka-sensei is really an A-ranked Shinobi?" Naruto burst out and Kurenai nodded.

"Yes, he is. If he wanted to put the effort in, he could be S-ranked, but he is perfectly happy teaching future generations of Shinobi."

"And most ANBU are B or sometimes C-ranked while the chunin who kept trying to chase me are normally C-ranked…" Naruto mused. "No wonder Iruka-sensei was always able to catch me after my pranks… I thought I was getting rusty or something."

"Being able to hide from your pursuers while wearing bright orange is quite impressive." Kurenai allowed. "If you ever went for darker colors, you'd be almost impossible to track for anyone without a _Byakugan_. In fact…"

Kurenai rose from her kneeling position and cast a quick _genjutsu_ that projected a compulsion to gather round. The eight clones ran up from the trees and lake, forming up around her.

"Now, real Naruto, with me but make another dozen clones for this. Excellent. All Naruto clones, head into the trees, no more than two-hundred meters distance from the edge of the clearing. I want Hinata and… Hinata to take the role of hunter-nins, find and dispel the clones. This way, both of you get training. Naruto, you get training in escape, evasion and survival while Hinata gets training in tracking and attacking. Hinatas, a light Jyuuken strike will dispel a _Kage Bunshin_. Narutos, try not to make it easy since the harder the training, the better it is. Begin!"

The clones scattered, the two Hinatas in hot pursuit and Kurenai looked at Naruto.

"While we're waiting for the exercise to finish, do you remember how to dispel _genjutsu_?"

Naruto stared at her blankly.

.

Hinata was impressed. She had thought that Naruto's bright orange trousers and jacket would be easy to spot, but his natural stealth skills countered the obvious color to an incredible degree. In addition, Naruto acted in ways that she had never encountered in her clan's tracking exercises before, ways that she would have to use herself in future exercises. He wouldn't balance on branches, he would hang underneath or cling to the trunk. He could squirm through low bushes without disturbing a single leaf or dart across open spaces fast enough that if she blinked at the wrong time, she would never know he had been there.

"Byakugan!"

Hinata blinked as she heard her clone activate their _dojutsu_ , then she nodded in understanding.

She was barely a D-ranked shinobi in her own right. If she was to catch the elusive clones, she needed to use every single advantage that she had.

 _Horse, Tiger, Boar, Hare, Rat, Dog, Horse, Dog, Hare, Rat, Boar, Snake,_ "Byakugan!"

The world _shifted_ around her and her eyes widened as she saw one clone crouched in the bush just behind her, a bush that she could have sworn was empty.

.

"She got another." Naruto reported as he tried to suppress his chakra again and Kurenai cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him. "Kick to the shoulder. Felt odd, though, more like that hand-strike of hers."

"I didn't know that she could use Jyuuken through her feet." Kurenai mused.

"And I think _that_ was the last one." Naruto added. "I didn't even _see_ her that time. Just a poke in the back of the neck. She's good."

"Th…thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said as she emerged from the undergrowth.

"I'm glad you think so." The second Hinata said and Naruto smiled.

"You did amazing, both of you! I can see I'm going to need to practice my stealth more. Can we do this again tomorrow?"

Kurenai glanced up at the darkening sky and nodded.

"I have to get Hinata back to her home soon, but… here again tomorrow at… half past one?"

"Sure thing." Naruto said, giving her a quick bow, then pulling both Hinatas into a hug.

"See you tomorrow!" he chirped, then he bounced off, leaving Hinata and her clone both blushing so hard that Kurenai was amazed that the air wasn't glowing red around them.

"I think you shouldn't dispel the clone yet." Kurenai said with a wicked smile. "Let's tell your father that it was the unexpected result of a _jutsu_."

The two Hinatas looked at each other and started to giggle.

"Argh!" Naruto's voice echoed from around the corner. "I completely forgot! Where do I go to get the registration photo?"

"Office 1C in the tower!" Kurenai called back. "The chunin there will be able to take the photo for you on top of the Hokage's Tower!"

"Thanks!" Naruto hollered back and both Hinatas started to giggle again.

"What the…?" A girl's voice said and all three Kinoichi turned to see a pink-haired girl staring at them. " _Two_ weak little mice?"

Kurenai frowned as Sakura sniffed and strode off, muttering a comment just loud enough to be overheard while quiet enough that it could be argued that she was simply talking to herself.

"At least they're not competition for Sasuke-kun, even though they'll never become good ninja."

"…that was rude." Kurenai said slowly. "Who was she?"

"Haruno Sakura." Hinata said quietly. "She was the Kunoichi of the year thanks to her perfect test scores and is one of the girls who keeps chasing Uchiha Sasuke, even though he's never shown any interest in girls."

"A fan-girl." Kurenai sighed, shaking her head. "Thank goodness you're not one. Fan-girls do _not_ make good kunoichi."

"…ano, Kurenai-sempai…" Hinata began.

"…could you help me to learn to be braver?" The other one finished and Kurenai smiled.

"You are doing a great job already. You only fainted three times around Naruto today _and_ you were able to bring yourself to dispel his clones."

Both Hinatas blushed.

.

"Hey, you the photo-nin?" Naruto half-yelled as he almost erupted through the doorway. "I need my photo for the files! And it's gotta look awesome!"

"Not even a chance to finish my coffee." The Chunin behind the desk groaned. "Oh well, let's get this over with. So, name… Uzumaki Naruto…"

"How did you know _that_?" Naruto asked. "I've never seen you before… have I?"

"I'm a sensor-type. Name's Zaji." The brown-haired ninja said as he rummaged through the desk drawers. "That's how I knew who you were, a new genin with almost-Kage levels of chakra and less control than the average Academy student? Only one person fits that description."

"Hey!" Naruto protested. "I'm getting better, I can water-walk and can almost tree-walk. Hinata-chan really helped me by telling me what I was doing wrong."

"And what _were_ you doing wrong?" Zaji prompted, his voice muffled as he pulled out several large folders from the box under the desk.

"I… kinda toppled a tree by using too much chakra." Naruto admitted and Zaji jolted, causing the desk to lift slightly. A moment later, he reappeared, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ouch. You toppled a tree just by pushing chakra into it? Have you ever thought about doing that with your fists?"

Naruto blinked. "Huh? Why would I want to topple trees with my fists?"

"I meant the chakra-push thing." Zaji sighed as he stood up, holding the camera equipment. "If you manage to send out a pulse of chakra just as you hit something, it makes the impact a _lot_ stronger. Of course, gathering the pulse means that someone like me can sense that it is coming."

"So… should I try to learn how?" Naruto asked and Zaji nodded.

"You should. Sensor-type ninja are fairly rare, so you'll have the advantage more often than you won't. Plus, if you get it working, you'll be able to claim it as a personal technique. I've got a few of my own, as have many of the shinobi."

"Wow. I'll have to try and come up with some _awesome_ techniques." Naruto grinned as they emerged onto the roof. Zaji pointed to one of the sheltering awnings.

"Stand just there and look as serious as you can, but don't frown."

Naruto bounced to the indicated point as Zaji set up the camera and tripod with the ease of experience.

"Now, look at the camera!"

Naruto blinked as a flash of light almost blinded him. "Ow! What was that?"

"That was one of the basic field-jutsu, often used for signalling." Zaji said slowly. "Didn't you come across it at the Academy?"

"Er… no? Can you teach me?"

"It's quite simple." Zaji said as he put away the tripod. "You start by focusing chakra in your thumb and first finger, then you release it as you click your fingers… like this."

As Zaji's middle finger impacted against the base of his thumb, a small but bright pulse of chakra sparked between his thumb and first finger.

"Cooooool." Naruto breathed.

"You practice it, I'll file the paperwork." Zaji said as he vanished down the stairs. Behind him, the roof was suddenly lit by a flash of light brighter than a lightning bolt.

"AAAAAAAARRRRGH! MY EYES!"

"Oh, don't look directly at it or use too much chakra!" Zaji shouted.

" _NOW_ YOU TELL ME!"

.

"And here we are." Kurenai said as the trio walked up to the Kurenai's front door. "Now, before we go in…"

Kurenai's comment was halted by a massive flash of light from the top of the Hokage tower that left them blinking several times.

"What was _that_?"

"I don't know." Kurenai admitted. "It wasn't an explosion… I'll check tomorrow. For now, why don't we finish arranging those pressed flowers of yours. With two of you, it'll be done twice as fast."

"Yes Kurenai-senpai."

"We'll probably be done before your father gets here to pick you up." Kurenai smiled as she opened the front door.

.

.

Naruto dropped the empty pot of ramen into the trash can and flopped onto the sofa.

"What a day." He sighed in satisfaction. "I can water-walk and know a cool jutsu to blind my enemies. Take _that_ teme!"

The familiar surge of clone-memories flowed through him and he winced.

"Ouch, I didn't realize that my orange was actually _painful_ to Hinata… maybe I should ask her to help me get a different orange, a darker one… wow, the world through the _byakugan_ looks _weird_ … wait, was that Sakura… oh, that was _mean_ , I don't think Hinata-chan deserved that… wait…wait!"

Naruto's eyes slammed open.

"Those were _Hinata's_ memories! Aaaaargh!"

.

Hinata wavered as her clones memories integrated with her own.

"That's the problem with _Kage Bunshin_." Kurenai noted. "If you're not prepared, the memory inflow can be rather disorientating."

"I was unaware that my daughter knew that particular jutsu." Hiashi noted from the front door and Kurenai shrugged.

"She doesn't."

"…what?"

"She doesn't." Kurenai repeated. "We found a way to use someone else's chakra to make a _Kage Bunshin_ and Hinata has just confirmed that _she_ gets the memories from the clone, not the the person who actually performed the Jutsu."

"Fascinating." Hiashi mused. "Should this person become strong enough, they could aid by duplicating the person most suited to the mission in question. Lack of skill would no longer matter… may I learn the name of the one who has developed such an incredible technique?"

Kurenai gave a small nod and Hinata answered.

"Uzumaki Naruto, father."

Hiashi blinked several times. "…what? But… he _failed_ the Academy exam…"

"He's a full genin now." Kurenai corrected. "The Jonin Lounge was buzzing about it earlier, it's quite a tale. They pulled Iruka in to tell it since he was part of it."

"…then I shall have to visit tonight to find out the details." Hiashi stated. "Thank you for looking after my daughter."

"It has been an honor to be entrusted with her care." Kurenai replied with a smile. "Goodnight, Hinata-chan."

"Goodnight, Kurenai-sempai." Hinata replied as she moved to stand by her father.


	3. Equipping Of A new genin

"There he is!" Hinata said and Kurenai blinked.

"He seems… nervous."

The subject of their conversation turned as they approached and Kurenai's eyes widened slightly as she realized what was different about him. Naruto wasn't wearing his normal orange jacket while his trousers were dark blue civilian-wear, totally unsuited to combat training.

"Kurenai-san, Hinata…" Naruto said in greeting, one hand rubbing the back of his head. "Ummm, hi?"

"Naruto." Kurenai said in return. "You seem… less relaxed than yesterday."

"Yeah, I… kinda found out something…" Naruto admitted, "But I'm not a perv or anything like that! I just didn't know it would happen and by the time I worked it out, it had already finished and so I…"

"NARUTO!"

Naruto stiffened to attention at Kurenai's shout. "…hai?"

"Just… tell us _briefly_ what happened. _No_ excuses, _no_ opinions, _just_ the facts."

"I kinda got Hinata-chan's clone's memories when she dismissed it yesterday…" Naruto half-whispered. "And I didn't realize Sakura could be that mean. You totally aren't a timid little mouse. Heck, you're awesome at…"

"Wait a minute." Kurenai said slowly. "You're saying you got the memories too?"

"Too?" Hinata and Naruto chorused.

"Hinata got the memories when her clone dispelled." Kurenai explained slowly, her mind flicking through what the newest revelation meant.

.

"…so don't try it with anyone _unless_ they know about this and give permission. Alright?" Kurenai sighed and Naruto nodded. "Okay. Now… those clothes won't hold up to any real training, so…"

"About that, I was hoping Hinata could help me pick out new ones." Naruto interrupted, pulling out a frog-shaped wallet stuffed full of ryo from one of his pouches. "I mean, I don't want to hurt her eyes every time I make loads of clones and Hinata sees colors way better than me, I didn't even realize that my trousers and jacket were different shades until I got her memories of it. I spent an hour last night trying to see for myself, but I couldn't."

"Women can see more shades of color than males." Kurenai agreed. "Hinata, do you want to…?"

Hinata nodded. "I'll be happy to help, Naruto-kun."

Naruto promptly engulfed Hinata in a hug. "Thanks, Hinata-chan… Hinata? Ack! Kurenai-san! Hinata's collapsed again!"

Kurenai managed not to giggle at Naruto's panic.

"You remember what we did yesterday when Hinata collapsed?" She prompted and Naruto nodded.

"Sure thing… um, can you support her for a moment? I don't want to accidentally copy her while she's out cold…"

Kurenai held Hinata's limp form as Naruto created two clones who promptly placed Hinata on the original Naruto's back before dispelling.

"Alright. Now, since you're a shinobi now, you can shop at the shinobi-only shops." Kurenai said with a smile. "They tend to have good-quality items optimized for shinobi, since the owners have their own experience to draw upon. We'll start with Higarushi's, they do a good _Young Shinobi_ line of reinforced clothing."

"Cool."

.

"…and this is where we are going get most of your new stuff." Hinata heard as she regained consciousness to find herself being carried on someone's back. For a moment, she thought that she was being carried by Kurenai, but the hair against the side of her face was all wrong for that, yet somehow very familiar.

"Wow, cool place." Naruto's voice said and Hinata frowned mentally. It wasn't Kurenai who was carrying her and Naruto was nearb…

Hinata's thoughts hiccuped to a stop as she realized that it was _Naruto_ who was carrying her for the second time in as many days, but before she could do anything, Naruto was speaking again.

"I think Hinata just woke up. You awake, Hinata-hime?"

"I… I am." Hinata squeaked and Naruto half-knelt, allowing her to get her feet back on solid ground. Hinata took the advantage of Naruto facing the other way to shoot Kurenai a small glare, to which the older Kunoichi responded with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Higarushi's." Hinata read from the sign above the door.

"They're very good for the basic stuff." Kurenai supplied. "Combat trousers and tops, sandals,kunai, shuriken, ninja wire, tags, all of the basic things that any well-equipped shinobi required. Come on."

Kurenai led the way into the shop and they were greeted by the young teen-aged girl behind the counter.

"Welcome to Higarushi's Weapons and Supplies. Can I help you?"

"Basic outfitting." Kurenai said, pointing to Naruto and the girl stepped out from behind the counter, circling Naruto as she looked at him with a measuring eye.

"I'd say… size four, medium length for the trousers. Those sandals still have a bit of wear in them, but I'd advise replacing them in about four weeks or so. For the top… size four as well… what's your fighting style?"

"He's a brawler." Kurenai interjected.

"Mesh-enhanced, then, to protect against slashes." The girl stated. "You want sections fourteen and thirty-two. I'd recommend at least three of each, maybe four."

"I'll get them." Hinata offered as she scampered off.

"So, weapons." The girl continued. "Let's see what you have."

Naruto pulled out a kunai and the girl flinched.

"What? I only got them a week ago." Naruto protested.

"DAAAAD!"

"What is it, Tenten?" A deep voice replied from the back.

"We need a _full_ set of Kunai and Shuriken!"

"What?" Naruto protested as Tenten's hands seemed to blur, pulling out all of his lovingly-polished weapons and lining them up on the counter.

"I've got the clothes." Hinata said as she returned. "What's going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know." The deep-voiced man said as he stepped through the door, then his eyes latched onto the weapons on the counter.

"Ouch! Who on earth uses _that_?" he rumbled, picking up a Kunai and examining it. "This is bad, metal crystallisation, badly forged, no real edge, badly balanced… this would barely count as a _training_ Kunai!"

"I paid five thousand ryo for those." Naruto grumped and both man and daughter flinched.

"Kid, you were robbed." The man stated. "The last time I saw a Kunai this bad was Tenten's first attempt at making one when she was seven, and that was before I'd taught her how it was really done. Normally a full set would set you back two thousand ryo, but if you give me the name of the moron who sold you these and let me have them as scrap, which is all they're good for, I'll halve that price."

"I got them from Shima's Shinobi Weapons." Naruto said slowly and the man nodded even as he scooped the weapons into a bag.

"Okay. In future, you need anything ninja-related, you come here and I'll treat you fair." He said. "Name's Kyougu, Higarushi Kyougu, that's my daughter Tenten."

"Gloves!" Hinata exclaimed and everyone looked at her in confusion, causing her to blush.

"What do you mean?" Kurenai asked gently.

"I… was thinking about what Naruto-kun needs." Hinata mumbled. "He blocks a lot, so something like metal-lined gloves…"

"Got just the thing." Kyougu said after taking a long look at Naruto's hands. "Wait a moment."

Kyougu vanished down one of the shop aisles, then reappeared.

"Finger-less gauntlets with overlapping metal plates on the outside." He explained, handing them over. "Open design, more bracer than gauntlet, but the metal inserts on the knuckles help you punch."

Naruto finished donning the gauntlets and took several swings, causing Tenten to flinch.

"Who taught you to fight?" She winced.

"Mizu…ki…" Naruto said, realization dawning mid-word. "He screwed up my style, didn't he? Damn him, he said it was a special style only I could use! I spent hours every day trying to make it work!"

"You'll need to inform your Sensei that you urgently require taijutsu training once you've been assigned to your team." Kurenai noted. "I saw how you fought against Hinata, your stance wasn't like anything I've ever seen before."

"Another thing to try and fix." Naruto grumped. "Why the hell did I even think the Academy was useful? Iruka was the only decent teacher there."

"Now you know of the problem, you can solve it." Kyouga stated. "The most important thing any shinobi needs to know is themselves. No lies, no delusions, just the basic truth about themselves because if someone else knows you better than you know yourself, they'll be able to manipulate you to their will no matter what you want."

Naruto gave a slow nod. "So how much for all this?"

"Two thousand ryo."

"What?" Naruto gasped. "But… the clothes… the weapons…"

"Two thousand ryo." Kyouga repeated. "You've been screwed over enough. It's time to help get you straightened up."

"Just accept it." Kurenai advised.

"Ummmm, thanks." Naruto said with a smile, then he picked up a pair of trousers and one of the armor-mesh-lined T-shirts from the pile. "Ummm, do you have somewhere I can get changed?"

.

The bell above the door tinkled and the woman behind the counter looked up.

"Welcome to Silken Leaf Fashions." She chirped. "Ah, Kurenai! Here for another dress?"

"Not today, Kunikata." Kurenai said, nodding towards the two genin who had followed her in. "I'm escorting Naruto, he wants something that looks good but will stand up to combat."

Kunikata rose from behind the counter and limped round. Both genin stared at the prosthetic that had replaced her left foot and the woman smiled.

"Long skirts are not good for Kunoichis." She said in explanation and Hinata nodded in understanding. "So… any specific requests?"

"Orange?" Naruto asked. "Um, _not_ bright orange, more darker orange 'cause orange is cool but too much can hurt the eyes and… and I'm shutting up now."

"I'd recommend putting the Uzumaki Clan crest on the shoulders of your T-shirts…" Kunikata mused. "And if you want orange… maybe a Haori? Add some inner pockets for storage and a mesh layer, it'll help to reduce injury in combat…"

Hinata nodded as Naruto glanced at her.

"Hinata-hime probably has a better idea than I do." He admitted. "However, I'd like to include this as well."

Naruto pulled out the clan-tag that he normally wore on the shoulder of his jacket and Kunikata nodded as she took it.

"Easily done, I can simply mount it on the cord that holds the Haori in place. Let me get a few measurements and I can have two complete within the hour. Leave the T-shirts as well and I'll add the crest to the shoulders. Left, right or both?"

"Left please." Hinata requested and Kunikata smiled.

"Left?" Naruto queried, then he shrugged. "I don't see a difference, so… sure. Left."

"Come back in two hours." Kunikata ordered.

.

"While we're waiting, there's a few things I think I should check." Kurenai said once they'd returned to the training field. "Naruto, how well can you read?"

"Not very." Naruto sighed. "I had to teach myself, there's quite a bit I still don't understand."

"Hinata?"

Hinata blushed, but nodded. "I'll help… but it's almost time for me to go back home…"

"Maybe if you left a clone..." Kurenai mused and Hinata brightened.

"Okay." She smiled as she placed her hand on Naruto's shoulders, then she _eep_ ed as Kurenai gently pushed her into Naruto's arms.

"We don't know how much contact it needs, so let's play it safe." Kurenai explained. "Naruto? One set of clones, please."

Hinata closed her eyes as the wash of chakra flowed through her, shivering in pleasure.

"Hinata, you cold?" Naruto asked and Hinata shook her head as she stepped away from him.

"No, I was just thinking about something."

"Clone-Hinata, here's my house key. Take clone-Naruto there and start going through some of the basic books on my shelf." Kurenai ordered. "Naruto, I'd recommend practicing with your new Kunai and Shuriken… in fact, go back to Higarushi's and ask if they can help you with that. Tenten is a weapons mistress-in-training, if memory serves, and they have a training yard out the back. I'll escort Hinata to her home, then come and pick you up so that you can pick up your new clothes."

"Okay." Naruto grinned, then he hugged Hinata. "thanks, Hinata-hime. Today would have sucked without you."

"Y… you're welcome…" Hinata managed as Naruto released her and raced off. Kurenai waited for a moment to ensure that she wasn't about to faint, then touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"Let's go." She said. "You'll see him again tomorrow… and you'll get memories of teaching him later."

Hinata smiled.


	4. Teaching Of A New Genin

"There he is!" Hinata said and Kurenai smiled at Hinata's eagerness. "Wow, he looks better than I expected!"

Kurenai's smile widened as she took in the sight of the distant genin. He had replaced his old blue sandals with black ones to match his trousers, while dark orange wraps covered the gap between the sandals and the trousers. His haori reached almost to mid-thigh and from the way it hung, Kurenai could tell that it was armored. As he turned, a Kunai pouch was briefly visible attached to his belt while the flapping of fabric showed a line of shuriken attached to a magnetic strip just inside the Haori itself.

"Hinata-Hime! Kurenai-san!" He shouted in greeting and Hinata returned his exuberant wave with a smaller, but no less heartfelt one.

"Naruto-kun… you look _great_ …" Hinata managed and Naruto's grin widened.

"Thanks to you, Hinata-hime." He said in reply and Hinata blushed. "Hey, Kurenai-san! What awesome stuff are you teaching today?"

"It'll be Hinata doing most of the teaching." Kurenai said with a smile. "I think her teaching you is helping her as much as it is you, albeit in different ways. I brought books for you to practice reading as well as some maths worksheets."

As she spoke, Kurenai pulled out a small scroll and unrolled it on the ground, swiping one finger across it. A cloud of chakra smoke formed and dissipated, revealing three small stacks of books.

"History, field tactics and maths." Kurenai said, indicating the piles. "Hinata'll teach you via clone, so you'll both need three clones for this."

Naruto waited for Hinata to nod in confirmation before he caught her in a hug and made the familiar hand-seal behind her back. Kurenai nodded in approval as the newly-created clones gathered up the books and then moved to different places around the field so that they didn't accidently interfere with each other.

"Today will be stretching and flexibility exercises." Kurenai said. "Naruto, if you could send a dozen clones to practice water and tree-walking, that would be good."

Kurenai waited for the newly-created clones to run off to the trees and lake before she pulled out another scroll and unsealed a trio of rolled-up mats. Passing one to each genin, she unrolled the third and shed her sandals before stepping onto it.

"You probably haven't done these exercises before, Naruto, so pay attention and try to copy Hinata and myself as best you can." She said gently. "We will start with basic stretches. Keep one leg straight, hands on your hips and bend the other leg like this…"

Naruto wobbled for a moment as he tried to follow the moves that the two females were doing so effortlessly.

.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked worriedly as Naruto lay sprawled on the grass.

"How do you _do_ that?" Naruto groaned. "I _thought_ I was fit…"

"There are different sorts of fitness." Kurenai said from where she was finishing rolling up the mats. "You're used to high-energy movement, running, jumping, that sort of thing. _These_ exercises were all about flexibility, control and precision."

"I'm aching, but it's sorta in a good way." Naruto mused. "I'm not sure I can move at the moment, though."

"Hinata, You might want to lie down as well." Kurenai suggested. "It's almost time to dispel the clones."

Hinata sat down, then glanced at Naruto measuringly.

"It's okay, Hinata." Naruto groaned. "I know you don't want to get leaves in your hair, so you can borrow my Haori to use as a pillo… huh?"

Naruto lifted his head to look down at Hinata, who was resting her head on his stomach while she clasped his hand in both of hers. Kurenai looked over at them and promptly raised a hand to hide her smile.

"Kurenai-sempei?"

"Alright, first pair, dispel." Kurenai ordered and both Genin twitched slightly as the first set of memories cascaded into their minds.

"That looks very comfortable." One of the clone-Hinatas whispered to herself enviously and Kurenai fought down a sudden attack of the giggles.

"Okay, ready for the next one!" Naruto called out. "Hinata-hime?"

"I… I'm ready."

Kurenai nodded at the next pair, both of whom promptly dispelled. Even as she fought to integrate the new memories, Hinata blushed at how she and Naruto looked, but didn't move. Kurenai turned away before she could lose control over her giggles.

"Kurenai-san."

Kurenai stiffened in shock, then spun to face the new arrival, who was fortunately standing just out of view of the clones.

"We're ready for the final ones." Hinata called and Kurenai spared a moment to nod at the remaining pair of clones before turning her attention back to the man in the trees.

"Hiashi-sama." She said with a slight bow and Hiashi stepped forwards, his expression inscrutable.

"I see that my daughter is willing to aid Uzumaki and is becoming a friend to him" Hiashi said and Kurenai nodded.

"I determined that Hinata's confidence improved every time she helped Naruto to recover from what seems to have been a campaign of neglect during his days at the Academy, so the use of clones seemed to be a viable way of increasing that improvement without spending too much time that could be used in other forms of training…"

Hiashi held up a hand to halt Kurenai's explanation.

"I have no problem with Uzumaki aiding my daughter in becoming stronger." He stated. "However, my daughter will soon be assigned to a team and I would appreciate a chance to gain the measure of one who may be her team-mate. I have already spoken to the Inuzuka and the Aburame."

"Not the Uchiha?" Kurenai asked and Hiashi shook his head.

"No. My sources in the Tower tell me that he will almost certainly be on the same team as the Haruno girl with the third being either the Inuzuka or Uzumaki."

"If it's not Naruto, your daughter will be depressed." Kurenai admitted.

"What can you tell me about him?"

Kurenai glanced over to where Naruto had got to his feet and was helping Hinata up.

"What sort of information do you need?"

"A standard character report should suffice." Hiashi said with a slight smile and Kurenai nodded.

"Uzumaki Naruto, parentage unknown or classified. Orphan. Failed the Academy but was promoted to Genin after succeeding in an unplanned field mission. Very high chakra levels which make it hard for him to concentrate for long periods of time, although the chakra-control exercises have already provided a small but noticable improvement in that.  
"Current ratings are taijutsu – low, ninjutsu – medium to high, shurikenjutsu – low to medium, general knowledge – poor but part of this is due to passive sabotage in the Academy and Naruto having to learn to read and write without assistance.  
"Future potential is very high in all fields."

"Thanks, Kurenai-san!" Naruto chirped from behind her. "I'm gonna get as good as I can, 'cause I'm gonna become the Hokage! Believe it!"

Hiashi glanced at his daughter, who was nodding in agreement.

"And how are you intending to improve that much?" He asked.

"Simple, Hinata's helping me and she's _awesome_!" Naruto responded, giving Hinata a one-armed hug as she blushed. "My reading skills have shot _way_ up since she started teaching me, soon I'll be on the same level as most of the others and it's all because of how amazing Hinata-hime is!"

"And would you say that Kurenai-san's summation of your skills was indeed a precise reflection of your current capabilities?"

Naruto stared at him blankly.

"Did Kurenai-san get the list of your skills right?" Hinata whispered into Naruto's ear and he brightened in understanding.

"Mostly, but she got the taijutsu wrong. It isn't low, I completely _suck_ at it thanks to being taught all wrong. I'm trying to re-learn the Academy style but while it feels better, it still doesn't quite feel right. When I get a Jonin-sensei, I'm gonna have to ask for taijutsu training as _the_ most important thing I need."

Hiashi raised a mental eyebrow at the brutal honesty in Naruto's reply, but didn't allow a hint to show on his face.

"It is rare to meet a shinobi who doesn't allow self-deception to over-rule self-knowledge." He offered.

"Well, when both teacher _and_ sparring partner wince at how bad you are, it's kinda difficult to claim you're good." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "I've talked it over with them and it's only my stamina and high pain… pain… Hinata?"

"Threshold?"

"Thanks. High pain _threshold_ that let me win at all." Naruto finished. "So I suck and I need to… to suck less if I have a chance at the hat. But I'll make it, believe it!"

Hiashi stared at Naruto for a long moment, then he turned to Hinata.

"Daughter, tomorrow, I will send Ko to pick you up after your training, although he may be early. Kurenai-san, you may make whatever use of him you wish if he is early."

Hinata glanced briefly at Naruto and Hiashi caught the question that she didn't dare ask. Rather than reply out loud, he inclined his head slightly to acknowledge her worry and confirm that he would deal with it.

.

.

Hiashi looked up from the paperwork on his desk as a shadow announced a visitor outside his study. Briefly activating his Byakugan, Hiashi paused just long enough to slightly tidy his desk before speaking.

"You may enter."

The door opened and Hyuuga Ko stepped through, sliding it shut behind him. Stepping forwards, he dropped into a Seiza position, then bowed.

"You summoned me, Lord Hiashi?"

"I did." Hiashi confirmed. "As you are aware, Jonin Yuhi Kurenai has been guiding and teaching Hinata over the last few days."

Hiashi paused and Ko gave a slight nod to indicate that he was indeed aware of the events that had stopped his usual task of being Hinata's bodyguard.

"What I am about to tell you must never be repeated. Hinata has been using the _Kage Bunshin_ to aid in her progress."

"I was unaware that she had learned that kinjutsu, Lord Hiashi. I did not think her chakra reserves were large enough for such a technique."

"She has not learned it and they are not." Hiashi stated, enjoying the look of confusion on Ko's face. "She has been training alongside Uzumaki Naruto, who _has_ learned that technique, and they discovered that should he create a clone while Hinata is in contact with him, he clones her as well."

Ko's jaw dropped for a moment before he pulled himself back under control.

"When her clones dispel, she regains their memories." Hiashi added.

"Incredible." Ko breathed, then he frowned slightly. "But for her to be studying alongside… _him_ …"

"And thus we reach the next secret." Hiashi stated. "I have received permission from the Hokage to tell you this. Naruto is the third who carries the Kyuubi and you once had a crush on the second, his mother."

Ko blanched. "Kushina? She is his… I thought he was simply named _after_ her! She carried the Kyuubi too?"

"As did Senju Mito, formerly known as Uzumaki Mito and Kushina's aunt." Hiashi said in a calm voice. "Three generations of Uzumaki have held the Kyuubi and in all that time, it has only escaped once. The seal that holds it now has been described as the masterpiece of the Yondaime.  
"In other words, you will from this day on _respect_ Uzumaki. He is not the prisoner, he is the prison that holds it and to strike at him is to risk the prisoner escaping.  
"Am I clear?"

Ko nodded frantically. "Hai, hiashi-dono!"

"Good. Now, about tomorrow…"

.

.

Hinata winced as Ko used a stick to swat Naruto's leg.

"Point the foot _forwards_ , not out!" Ko commanded. "Make a fist like _this_ and move it like _so_ to punch."

"I hadn't realized that Ko was such a disciplinarian." Kurenai noted. "But Naruto does seem to be improving."

"Given how bad he was to begin with, going to simple bar-room brawling would have been an improvement." Ko noted as he walked past them to where a group of Naruto's clones were going through the first kata taught at the Academy. " _Smooth_ motions! Flow like water!"

"I think I owe your father a favor for this." Kurenai noted. "I'm not very good in taijutsu, relatively speaking. I make up for it in the other fields, but…"

Kurenai shrugged, then she returned to watching Naruto being shown how he _should_ have been taught to fight.

"With those clones, he should be caught up in six months or so… assuming his Jonin-sensei bothers to teach him."

Hinata gave Kurenai a long look. "Is he going to be on our team?"

"I don't know." Kurenai sighed. "I used up my favor by asking for you. Naruto… I can't say."


	5. Assignment Of A New Genin

The noise level of the classroom dropped significantly as Hinata and Naruto entered. Part of the sudden drop in volume was that instead of scurrying in timidly like normal, Hinata was standing up straight. Most of the reason, though, was the person who was accompanying her, a person whom everyone else in the classroom knew had failed.

Of course, not everyone was focused on that fact.

"Deeeyaaaamn." Ino breathed. "How did the Class Clown hide all that yumminess?"

Hinata promptly shifted to slightly in front of Naruto, shielding him from Ino's semi-predatorial gaze.

"Hey, why is the dead last here?" Kiba shouted. "He failed, remember? He couldn't even do a clone!"

"Most of it's classified, but I helped plug a hole in the security of the village and as a reward, I got promoted." Naruto shot back. "And no, Sasuke couldn't have done it because he _passed_ the test. The mission needed someone who had _failed_."

Several of the girls in the room froze, their instant declarations that Sasuke should have had the chance to do the mission slamming into the realization that in order to have got the mission, he would have had to have failed and Hinata capitalized on the pause. Grabbing Naruto's hand, she towed him to a pair of adjacent seats and settled down, smiling as Naruto let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"But how did you manage to get a pass without a clone?" Kiba persisted and Naruto rose, placing his hands in a cross-seal. A cloud of smoke erupted behind him, dissipating to reveal a single clone and Naruto sat down again as the clone walked to Kiba's desk and smacked his nose with one finger before dispelling.

"Ow!" Kiba whined, clutching at his nose. "That hurt, dammit. You _know_ we Inuzuka have sensitive noses!"

"That was a _solid_ clone!" Sakura gasped and Naruto nodded.

"Yep, I've got _way_ too much chakra to do one of the normal Bunshin, so I learned something better."

"Teach me." Sasuke snapped, spinning to look at Naruto, but it was Hinata who replied.

"You do not have enough chakra, Sasuke-san. If you indeed wish to commit suicide by exhausting all your chakra while trying to perform a technique that you are physically incapable of, then may I ask that you first make a will? The Hyuuga clan will happily take possession of the Uchiha sector once you have killed yourself and thus ended the Uchiha's presence in Konoha."

Sasuke growled as he flopped back down and Hinata half-turned to see Naruto gaping at her.

"Wow, Hinata! You _really_ told him! That was awesome!"

Hinata blushed and buried her face into the junction of Naruto's neck and shoulder.

.

"Heh, it would seem that young Hinata's been spending a great deal of time around Naruto." Hiruzen chuckled as he viewed the scene through his crystal ball.

.

The opening of the classroom door caught everybody's attention and Iruka walked in, looking at the assembled children.

"First of all, may I say congratulations to all of you for passing the test last week." He said. "Now, before I read out your assignments, do any of you have any questions?"

"Yeah!" Kiba shouted. "How come the dobe's here? He failed the test and gave us a story about passing another way!"

"That is correct. Naruto was given a field promotion for his actions in preventing a great loss to the village via the actions of a traitor." Iruka said, showing no sign of regret at Mizuki's fate, even though Mizuki had been his friend for years. "Combined with his learning of a variant of the Bunshin, it was decided that he was indeed qualified to become a shinobi, a decision confirmed by the Sandaime Hokage himself. Do you have a problem with this?"

Kiba slunk back into his seat and Iruka checked his list.

"Right now, Teams one through six are being assigned in the other classrooms, so I shall begin with Team 7. Team seven is under the command of Jonin Hatake Kakashi and consists of the Rookie of the year Uchiha Sasuke, the Kunoichi of the year Haruno Sakura…"

"YES!" Sakura exulted. "Take that, Ino-pig!"

"NO!" Ino screamed.

"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" Iruka roared and both Kunoichi dropped back into their chairs, pale with shock.

"Ahem… and Uzumaki Naruto."

"No!" Naruto shouted, inadvertantly drowning Hinata's identical exclamation out. "This team sucks!"

"Because _you_ 're on it." Sakura sneered. "Even trying to look as cool as Sasuke is doesn't change that fact."

Iruka pointedly cleared his throat.

"Team 8, under Jonin Yuhi Kurenai is Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba."

Hinata sighed sadly and cuddled up against Naruto.

"Team 9 is still in rotation, so team 10, under Sarutobi Asuma, will be Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akamichi Choji."

"Dammit, Forehead gets all the luck!" Ino raged.

"Your Senseis will be here to collect you after lunch, so you are dismissed for an hour."

Naruto gave Hinata a quick kiss on the cheek, then rose and walked over to where Sasuke was sitting, trying to ignore Sakura.

"Since we are assigned to be a team, we should try to get to know each other…" he began, only to quickly step back as Sakura swung at him. Before she could recover her balance, Hinata had appeared almost out of nowhere, Byakugan blazing, and struck Sakura's right arm, numbing it.

"Ow!"

"Thanks, Hinata-Hime." Naruto said, noting that Sasuke had taken advantage of the situation to escape. "Shino, Kiba, I'm taking Hinata to Ichiraku's, my treat. Since you're on her team, you want to come as well?"

"Sure." Kiba shrugged.

"Sharing sustenance is traditionally an acceptable way to encourage and enhance interpersonal relationships." Shino droned. "I am honored to accept your invitation."

"Damn, those lessons you've been giving me really are working." Naruto whispered to Hinata as he led the impromptu group out of the classroom. "I understood every word that he just said!"

Hinata failed to restrain her giggles at his comment.

.

.

The classroom door opened and two figures entered, looking at the assembled genin.

"Team 8." The woman called and Naruto caught Hinata's shoulder as she stood.

"Just remember, you're totally awesome." He whispered, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Trust me on that."

Hinata beamed at him, then quickly kissed him back before scurrying to Kurenai's side, her face glowing red as Kurenai tried to hide her smile.

"Team 10." The man stated and Naruto leaned back as Shikamaru, Ino and Choji filed to the bearded ninja's side.

"See you later, Hinata-Hime." Naruto called and Hinata gave him a small wave before she vanished through the door.

"What does she see in a Baka like you?" Sakura wondered and Naruto glared at her before reaching into one of his belt-pouches and pulling out a small book. "And what is that?"

"It's a _book_ , Sakura. You know, it has paper sheets that hold _words_." Naruto riposted and Sakura looked taken aback at the lack of the normal _–chan_ suffix that was usually attached to her name by him.

"And since when does a Baka like you read?"

"Since a princess took the time to teach me." Naruto shot back. "Now please hush, some of us have better things to do than listen to your screeches."

As Sakura started to prepare a blistering comeback, Sasuke spoke up.

"I agree with the dobe. Shut up. You're starting to give me a headache."

Sakura meekly sat down, glancing at the door while Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the picture of the Uchiha fan on the cover of Naruto's book.

.

* * *

.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

Naruto looked up from the book on the various types of traps and found himself looking at a tall shinobi standing in the now-open door. The man was thin with spiky silver hair while most of his face was covered by a mask pulled up over the bridge of his nose and a Hitai-ate angled over his left eye.

"Hmmm, my first opinion of you is that I don't like you." The new arrival mused. "Meet me on the roof in five minutes. Don't be late!"

The ninja vanished in a cloud of smoke and Naruto sighed.

"That must have been Kakashi." He said as he slowly put his book away, then moved to the window as the other two dashed out of the doorway. Channeling his chakra, he swung himself out of the window and stood on the wall of the Academy, then walked up to the top, grabbing the railing and vaulting over it.

"Interesting." The tall man mused, even though he didn't pull his attention out of the book he was reading. "Wall-walking already? Now who taught you that?"

Naruto glared at Kakashi. The way he had phrased it suggested that he had known about the way that Naruto's learning had been sabotaged, a definite minus point in Naruto's book.

"We're here… how did you get here before us, you baka?" Sakura burst out as she sprinted through the roof access. Naruto simply sighed and moved to sit down on the furthest one of the three benches, letting the other two claim the others.

"So, let us introduce ourselves. Name, likes, hates, dreams" Kakashi said and Sakura raised her hand.

"Will you show us how?"

Naruto managed not to face-palm. His lessons with Hinata and later with Ko (with whom he _hadn't_ used the shared-cloning technique) had raised his social abilities to the point where he could now identify stupid questions (although usually, it was identifying them _before_ he asked them that was the issue).

"Hmmm? Oh, okay. My name is Hatake Kakashi, I have things I like, there are things I dislike and you aren't old enough to learn about my dreams yet. Alright, pinky?"

"My name is Haruno Sakura and I like…" Sakura broke off as she glanced as Sasuke. "My dreams are…"

Naruto sighed as Sakura looked at Sasuke again.

"And your dislikes?" Kakashi prompted.

"NARUTO!"

"As if I care." Naruto grumbled, noticing the slight frown that Kakashi gave him.

"All right, broody."

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have many likes or dislikes, but my dream is to kill a certain man and rebuild my clan."

"And finally, blondie."

For a moment, Naruto was tempted to go all out, but then the memory of the slight frown crossed his mind and he decided to tweak his sensei.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto… There are some things I like, there are some things I dislike and my dream is mine to achieve."

"Stop trying to be cool, you baka!"

Kakashi's eye narrowed at Naruto's response but he ignored Sakura's outburst.

"So, you three have passed the Academy exam, but you aren't true genin yet." Kakashi stated. "You won't be unless you pass my test tomorrow and be aware that on average, two in three fail the test and have to return to the Academy for another six months."

Naruto frowned at the implication. Kakashi had already showed himself to be distressingly similar to the Academy teachers (bar Iruka), but he was obviously unaware of how Naruto's promotion had differed from the others.

"Meet me tomorrow at seven AM on training ground seven for your final test." Kakashi said. "I'd advise you not to eat breakfast, you'll only throw it up again. Bye!"

Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves and Naruto rose from his bench.

"What did he mean by _that_?" Sakura quavered.

"I think I'll check out the area tonight and talk to Kurenai-san." Naruto decided, vaulting over the railing and using his chakra to slide down the wall.

"Stop showing off, you baka!" Sakura screamed. "Hey, wait for me, Sasuke-kun!"

.

Kurenai paused as a familiar voice called her name.

"Naruto?"

"Clone." The blond clarified as he came to a stop beside her. "Boss is checking out Training Ground Seven for tomorrow's test, but he sent a whole load of us out to get info. One of us was even sent to Hiashi-dono."

"Information about…?" Kurenai prompted.

"Hatake Kakashi." The clone replied. "Boss is trying to put as much info together on him as possible. Do you know anything about him, and are you allowed to tell us any of that?"

"For a start, he's known as _Sharingan_ Kakashi for the _sharingan_ he has underneath his Hitai-ate…" Kurenai began.

.

"…and he is consistently three hours late, unless it is for a mission of C-rank or above, or he has been ordered to show up on time by the Hokage." Hiashi told the clone who was sitting attentively in front of him.

"He said to show up by seven." The clone supplied.

"Then he will be there by ten. I would advise showing up at half past nine just to be on the safe side."

.

"I'm afraid that I can't really tell you anything about your sensei." Hiruzen sighed. "There are certain rules and traditions that prevent it."

"Meh, it was worth a try." The clone shrugged. "I mean, what better source of information is there in the whole village than the Hokage?"

"Well reasoned." Hiruzen said with a smile. "I am proud of you, Naruto. You really have grown over the last week."

.

"You've already _had_ your test and passed? Congratulations!"

Hinata smiled as Naruto's clone engulfed her in a hug.

Hopefully the real Naruto would give her another hug when they next met.


	6. Testing Of A New Genin

"You're late!" Sakura growled as Naruto strolled onto the training field. Naruto glanced round even as he felt the memories of one of the clones he had sent to give him warning should Kakashi not show up late flow into his mind.

"Sakura, just how late was Kakashi yesterday?" Naruto queried. "What made you think he wouldn't be late today?"

"That's not the point!" Sakura snarled.

"I knew he would be late, so I've done some extra training to get ready." Naruto commented as he moved to one of the three posts in the middle of the training field and leaned against it. "Have either of you done anything to prepare in the last couple of hours? Lay traps? Scout out the area to learn where things are such as the best hiding places? Check your kunai and shuriken to make sure that none of them are about to break?"

Sasuke looked up from where he was sitting, his expression startled. "Who are you and what have you done with Naruto?"

"I _am_ Naruto." Naruto shot back. "I just received some good advice on how to be a _proper_ ninja, advice that no-one bothered to give me before. So, I've checked all my weapons, explored the area last night and done some research into our sensei. Who's interested?"

Sakura sniffed. "Stop making things up, baka."

"If that's how you want it." Naruto shrugged. "Since we have another half hour before he's going to arrive, I'm going to try and meditate."

"You, meditate?" Sakura snorted and Naruto nodded as he sat down cross-legged, his hands on his knees.

"Hinata-hime showed me how. And Sakura, she _isn't_ a timid little mouse. If she hadn't been holding back, _she_ would be on this team, not you."

Sakura stared at him, then started to stalk over and Naruto gave a covert hand signal.

"Stop lying, baka!" Sakura shouted as she swung her fist at his head…

…only to fall over as Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke.

"I think I'll leave a clone and meditate somewhere else." Naruto said from the side of the clearing, where his clone had Kawarimi'd with him.

"Nice trick." Sasuke admitted, causing Sakura to stare at him in shock.

.

* * *

.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

Naruto didn't need the inflow of memories from the watch-clone to inform him that their tardy sensei-to-be had arrived and with a sigh, he pulled himself to his feet and stepped out from behind the tree.

"Well, I had to help an old lady with her shopping, then I got lost on the road of life." Kakashi said.

"LIAR!"

"Sakura, it's not a good idea to accuse someone of lying unless you have proof." Naruto commented. "Kakashi, showing up late twice raises certain questions about your competance… or worse. If not for Jiji vouching for you, I'd lump you in with Mizuki and simply walk away right now."

Kakashi stared at him for a long moment before shrugging and walking over to the three stumps. Pulling out an alarm clock, he placed it on the middle stump, then held up two small bells.

"Now, I don't know if you've been told this, but passing the Academy tests doesn't mean that you're full genin yet. You still need to pass the test set by your prospective Jonin-sensei who is, in this case, me.  
"As you can see, I have two bells. You have to try and take a bell from me by noon."

"But… there are only two bells." Sakura pointed out and Kakashi nodded.

"Correct. Only two of you will manage to get the bells. In order to get a bell, you'll have to come at me with the intent to kill, otherwise you won't stand a chance. If you don't have a bell by the end of the test, you will return to the Academy!" Kakashi finished and Naruto glanced at his so-called team-mates, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, the latter of whom was still rather disconcerted by his sudden change from trying to pursue her at every opportunity to a cool disinterest.

"Let me get this straight." He said slowly. "We are to try to engage you in hand-to-hand combat, without a chance to prepare, to get one of the two bells and if we do somehow manage to get one before the alarm goes off, we'll have to defend ourselves against our so-called team-mates since they'll see whoever has the bell as an easier target than you. Is my understanding of the situation… wrong?"

Kakashi shook his head slowly. "Not really, but you're not completely right either. So, do you think that you understand the purpose of the test, then?"

"I understand perfectly." Naruto said, drawing on the many conversations he had had with Hinata, Kurenai and several members of Hinata's family over the last week. "This is primarily a taijutsu test and we all know that I suck at it. Therefore, this test is aimed at getting rid of _me_ so you can train the _Last Uchiha_ and his _fan-girl_ without the baggage of the Dead Last."

Sakura winced at the venom with which Naruto injected into his description of her.

"You two win." Naruto said to Sasuke and Sakura. "I'll see you around."

Smirking at the shocked silence, Naruto turned and walked out of the training field.

If he hurried, he could join Team 8 to take up Kurenai-sensei's earlier request to provide them with an op-force to practice against and still have time to find out what missions he could take as a lone genin.

And Hinata would almost certainly continue to help him relearn how to read which was very nice of her. And she was so clever, she had worked out that by using his cloning ability on her, he could both get the experience of _learning_ how to read _and_ the experience of _knowing_ how to read.

His vocabulary and ability to use it was expanding faster than he had ever dreamed possible. His old textbooks were already much easier to understand now that he knew what the longer words actually meant.

.

* * *

.

"And now that Kakashi has shown up, _only fifteen minutes late_ , we can begin." Hiruzen said. "In order of team numbers, pass or fail with overview if necessary."

"Team one, total fail. None of them are suitable to be shinobi."

"Team two, partial fail. Two of them have what it takes to be genin but not elite, I recommend transferring them to the Genin Pool."

"Team three, fail. Only one salvageable, although he does qualify for elite, meaning he can be reassigned if need be."

"Team four… fail doesn't even begin to describe it. Suggest that student Ami be expelled for being a disruptive influence."

"Team five, partial fail. Two probably salvageable as elite genin with another six months at the Academy."

"Team six. Fail. Just… fail."

"Team seven… long story." Kakashi sighed, attracting the attention of the other Jonin. "I'll explain after the others have reported."

"Team eight passed." Kurenai said after a long pause. "I also tested them against an op-force today to get a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. I'll have the write-up done by seven."

"You'll have to tell me who you hired for that." Asuma said. "I may try that on my team… which passed, by the way. Team ten."

"So, Kakashi?" Hiruzen prompted and the Copy-nin sighed.

"The test was a non-starter. Naruto chose to walk after I explained the rules, stating that the test was an attempt to get rid of him so that I could concentrate on training the other two."

"What was the test?" Asuma asked.

"The Bell Test." Kakashi replied. "I was testing their teamwork. Naruto failed instantly and vanished before I could give him another chance."

"From what I can tell and given what he went through at the Academy, it was a perfectly logical conclusion that he drew." Hiruzen said, hiding his amusement at Kakashi's exasperation. "And since he got his promotion in the field rather than via the Academy, he can continue as a ninja and take missions. He's already signed up for the morning shift of wall patrol."

"But… but…" Kakashi stuttered, only for Kurenai, who was amongst the assembled Jonin watching with amusement, to interrupt.

"Naruto provided my team with the opposing force I mentioned earlier to train against today. With the number of clones he can create, he really gave them a workout."

"Yosh!" Gai shouted from the corner where he was observing. "I shall have to ask him to do the same for _my_ youthful genin!"

"His taijutsu was sabotaged in the Academy." Kurenai warned the exuberant Jonin. "You may need to train him in a new style first. On the plus side, he has a certain… technique that might help."

"But he was meant to be on _my_ team!" Kakashi protested. "I _asked_ for him!"

"He obviously disagrees." Hiruzen shrugged. "But since we need the Uchiha on a team due to political reasons, I can find another genin for your team from the general pool or the salvagable genin. If you don't think you can take a team without Naruto, I'll appoint another Jonin-sensei for the Uchiha's team."

Kakashi seemed to wilt. "…I'll take the third genin."

"Wait. Lord Hokage, what did you mean by _we need the Uchiha for political reasons_?" Kurenai asked.

"The other villages all know that the _Last Uchiha_ is now of an age to become a Genin. Should we fail to field him as a shinobi, our reputation will suffer since they will assume that the Uchiha Massacre was done by my command and that Sasuke is nothing more than a breeding stallion for the next generation." Hiruzen supplied. "It's also why I assigned him to Kakashi, _his_ Sharingan means that when Sasuke activates his dojutsu, Kakashi will be able to train him in its usage."

"Ah." Kurenai nodded. " _Political_ reasons. Of course. My apologies, I thought for a moment that it was _Konoha_ politics, not international ones."

"An easy mistake to make." Hiruzen said soothingly. "Kakashi, please stay. Everyone else, thank you for coming."

As the Jonin filed out, Kurenai used her smaller frame to slide through the crowd until she was walking beside Maito Gai. As they exited the tower, the taller Jonin looked down at her.

"You wish to discuss young Naruto, I presume, Kurenai-san?"

Kurenai blinked at the reminder that although Gai was bombastic, overly cheerful, insanely devoted to training and tended to be as blunt as a tetsubo to the skull, this in no way equated to stupid.

Kurenai briefly allowed herself to wonder just how intelligent the spandex-wearing Jonin really was, then she refocused on the conversation.

"Naruto has learned the _Kage Bunshin_ , and I took it upon myself to help him learn about the memory-transfer effect of it…"

"Aha! So I can ask him to make many clones and have each one practice a different part of the Kata while his true self works on stoking his flames of youth!" Gai exclaimed and Kurenai blinked.

Gai really _was_ intelligent, despite appearances.

"It's more than that." She said, weaving a subtle _genjutsu_ around them to prevent their conversation from being overheard. "He has discovered another way of using it. Hinata has been helping him to learn how to read properly, by letting him clone her and then her clone teaches his. When her clone dispels, they _both_ receive the memories."

Gai froze.

"Gai?"

"Alas! That would have been such an _incredible_ way to teach my own students the ways of Youth, but none of them yet have the ability to use the _Kage Bunshin_ , and I fear that Lee-kun never will."

"Ummm, right." Kurenai slowly said. "Anyway, since he can learn techniques that way, you may be able to teach him by letting him clone you, doing one kata and dispelling the clone."

"An excellent, although now that I actually consider it, slightly flawed, thought." Gai said, earning a confused frown. "You see, should I give him the memories of one of the basic Katas, irrespective of the style I will help him select, the memories will be more hindrance than help. I am a different size to him, the ratio of my torso to my limbs is different, as is my center of gravity. The memories attained that way would prove almost unusable, it would take longer for him to adapt them to his own body form than it would to learn them through the traditional katas themselves."

"I… hadn't considered that." Kurenai admitted.

"Nevertheless, it is a good thought for the future." Gai continued. "With the right training, he will be able to adapt new moves into his own fighting style and it is _then_ that he shall be able to learn as you have suggested."

Kurenai mentally revised her estimate of Gai's intelligence upwards once again. Why _did_ he go to such lengths to hide it?

"I shall look forwards to meeting Naruto-kun tomorrow," Gai said,"But for now, I sense that my team is ready to have their fires of youth transformed into a true blazing inferno. For YOOOOUUUUUTH!"

Gai blurred away and Kurenai shook her head in amused disbelief.

Why was she thinking he was intelligent, again?


	7. Patrol Of A New Genin

"Uzumaki Naruto?" A voice asked and Naruto turned to look at the old man who had spoken. "I'm your patrol partner for the morning, Genin Maruboshi Kosuke, although many call me the _Mannen Genin_."

Naruto stared at him in shock. "You're as old as Jiji!"

"Jiji?" Kosuke asked and Naruto blushed slightly, remembering several lessons in manners that Kurenai and Hinata had given him via clone teaching.

"Gomen, I apologise for my comment, although I was surprised by your appearance, my behaviour was inexcusible."

"You're forgiven, Naruto." Kosuke said, patting the (significantly) younger genin on the shoulder. "Now, who is this Jiji of yours?"

"Hiruzen, the Hokage." Naruto explained, falling into step with Kosuke and glancing down to see that one of the old shinobi's legs ended in a prosthetic foot.

"I remember Hiruzen when he was younger." Kosuke reminisced, then his gaze sharpened. "He had the same determination I see in you, young Naruto. I'm sure I'll see great things from you in the future."

Naruto blinked. Somehow, Kosuke had, for a bare instant, radiated the same aura of strength and power that Hiruzen had occasionally displayed.

"I've never patrolled the wall before." Naruto said, changing the subject. "I can create dozens of _Kage Bunshin_ if you think we may need them."

"For patrolling, we walk along the top of the wall, watching for anything unusual." Kosuke explained. "Multiple flocks of birds, gaps that weren't there the previous day, motion where there shouldn't be or stillness where there should be motion. If we see anything odd, we sound the alarm by striking the alert sequence on the pipe."

Naruto followed Kosuke's glance and saw a long metal pipe half-buried in the wall.

"The sound of the strikes go to the guard posts under the wall and the direction of the alert tells them where they are needed." Kosuke continued.

"Cool." Naruto admitted. "I thought it would be some sort of super-jutsu or something…"

"Why go for complicated when simplicity works so much better? Plus, if you're injured, you can still hit the pipe, even if you can't channel chakra." Kosuke shrugged, then he paused. "There. You see that?"

"A flock of birds?" Naruto asked and Kosuke nodded. "Yeah, but… wait, another just appeared and are some more birds circling behind the first lot you pointed out?"

"Something startled them." Kosuke said, pulling out a kunai and walking to the edge of the wall. "Something moving in the trees parallel to the wall, heading east. Now, pay attention to these codes, you'll need to memorize them at some point if you ever want to do this alone. Movement. South. Heading East. Distance, one kilometer. Speed, fast."

Naruto nodded as he tried to memorize the rhythms that Kosuke had tapped on the pipe. "I think I got _some_ of the signals, but…"

"I have a book you can borrow." Kosuke offered. "Copy it and return it, the copying will help you memorize it."

"Thanks… Sempai." Naruto said and Kosuke started to chuckle.

"Sempai, am I? I'm old enough to be your grandpa, you know. Okay, it's been almost a minute and no alarms have sounded, so whatever or whoever that was is known and we can continue our patrol."

Naruto gave the forest another look, then scurried to catch up with the older genin.

"Sempai, what's with the wok?"

Kosuke reached back to tap the edge of the large wok that he was wearing on his back. "I have several reasons. First, it's a shield. The shape helps to deflect anything thrown at me from behind which I can't dodge. Second, when I'm in the field, I can use it to cook food in. Akamichi Chouza himself said my cooking was as good as anything he'd ever tasted in the field. Third, it's a weapon. As long as you can grip it, _anything_ can be a club. Most ninja don't think of cooking utensils as being weapons, at least not before they wake up with bumps on their foreheads…"

Naruto stared at Kosuke in amazed admiration as the older man continued to share his accumulated wisdom.

.

* * *

.

"Good afternoon, Naruto." Kurenai called in greeting as Naruto leapt out of the branches of the trees and landed barely twenty meters away.

"Kurenai-san." Naruto replied with a big grin. "Hey, I had wall patrol today."

"I remember that." Kurenai sighed. "It was one of the missions I had to take as a chunin to help pay my bills. So… anything interesting happened?"

"I was teamed up with another genin, a _really_ old one…"

"Maruboshi Kosuke." Kurenai stated and Naruto stared at her.

"You know him?"

"He's a Jonin in everything but his actual rank." Kurenai said, then she frowned. "He's also in high demand… odd that he was walking the wall… unless…"

"Unless? Unless what?" Naruto asked after Kurenai trailed off.

"Never mind." Kurenai said. "But he's _very_ skilled, so you should take the opportunity to really listen to everything he chooses to tell you. And his food is amazing. If he ever offers you the chance to join him on a mission, I'd advise you to accept. He helped me when I was still a genin, gave me some good advice that I've never regretted."

"Cool."

"Very." Kurenai agreed. "Now, we have a little while before my team return from their mission, so I think I should tell you about a conversation I had with Maito Gai yesterday..."

.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called in greeting as she and her team-mates entered the training field.

"Hinata-chan! Kiba! Shino!" Naruto waved back. "How'd your mission go?"

"Tora tracked, caught and returned." Kiba gloated, then he frowned. "And an oddly-familiar pink-haired girl stopped us for a few minutes to speak to Hinata."

"She wanted to apologize for what she said before the second genin test." Hinata said quietly. "Apparently she and Ino had just finished another of their arguments over Sasuke and she was in a bad mood."

"Excellent work on Tora and I'm glad that Sakura apologized." Kurenai said, causing both Hinata and Kiba to smile. Even Shino seemed to radiate a sense of satisfaction briefly. "Hinata… if you would?"

Hinata hugged Naruto and he made his most-used hand-sign.

"You managed to do that silently." Kurenai said approvingly as clones of Naruto and Hinata appeared. "Very good. Any enemy who doesn't know what that seal is would be taken by surprise."

"Kosuke-sempai lent me a book on combat signals to study." Naruto said as his clone fished his own copy out of his storage pouch.

"Ah, _that_ book." Kurenai said with a nod of recognition. "I'll get copies for the rest of you tomorrow, it'll help with tracking if you can communicate silently."

"The tactical advantages inherent in learning silent communication are obvious." Shino droned. "I must inquire as to why such skills were not taught in the Academy, however."

"It's an old bargain, one unique to Konoha." Kurenai sighed. "As you all know, Konoha is unique amongst the Great Five in that we rely extensively on civilian support in order to free more shinobi for field work, so as a means of persuading the civilian clans that the-then newly-formed Konoha could be trusted, overall control of the Academy curriculum was placed in the hands of the civilians. Since so many of them wanted access to the advantages that having a shinobi in the family brings, better contacts, access to the shinobi information exchange and so on, the standards were slowly lowered to give the civilian-born a better chance of graduating. Silent communication was one of the things jettisoned to make it easier to pass the test."

The four genin stared at Kurenai for a long moment.

"And what else was removed?" Natuto finally asked.

"Several parts of the history course, the Camping Jutsus known as the Travelling Ten, physical conditioning lessons… fortunately the teamwork aspect generally allows new genin to survive in the field long enough to find out their own weaknesses and find ways around them, or find people who have different weaknesses so that they can protect each other."

"I… have no idea if that sucks or not." Kiba admitted. "I'm not good with classwork, so if the Academy has been made easier, would I have made genin in the old times? And where did your clones go?"

"To study the book." Naruto supplied. "As an independent genin, I _really_ need to learn those things."

"Indeed." Kurenai nodded. "Now, it is time for training. While we do basic warm-ups, I want you, Naruto, to use some clones to set up a trap course for my genin to work through. Nothing lethal, but be tricky."

Naruto grinned, causing Kiba to shiver.

.

* * *

.

"Ooooh! Yeee! Ooooh! Aaah! Aaah!"

Inuzuka Tsume stared as her son lurched through the main gate of the Inuzuka Compound, groaning and complaining with each step.

"Erk! Aaargh! Owowowow! Eek! Aargh!"

"Kiba?"

Kiba paused as Akamaru caught up with him, twitching and trying to scratch all over.

"Hey mom. Don't let Naruto set up a trap course for you. Gotta wash! Aaah! Itch! Itchitchitchitch!"

Tsume stared blankly as her son and his ninken bolted for the bathhouse.

"…what?"

.

Hinata tried not to squirm as she walked through the main gate of the Hyuuga Compound, but the small twitches she couldn't restrain gave away that some of the itching powder in the trap that Kiba had triggered had caught her.

"Daughter."

"F… father." Hinata managed. Hiashi raised an eyebrow.

"You seem… distracted."

"Kiba-san set off a trap in training. Itching powder. I _almost_ dodged it."

Hiashi's eyebrow rose higher. "I was unaware that Kurenai was adept at traps."

"It was Naruto… Father, may I be excused?"

Hiashi nodded. "Once you have washed, report to me. I would like an evaluation of Naruto's trap skills."

"Yes, father."

.

"Shino."

"Father." Shino replied calmly.

"Your Hive seems… more active than normal."

"I was caught in a trap triggered by my team-mate, Kiba, a trap that covered us in itching powder. My Kikkaichu found it very tasty."

"Ah."

.

"Naruto?"

"One moment!" Naruto called over his shoulder as he re-sealed the salvaged ninja-wire in the storage scroll. Rolling the scroll up and storing it in his shoulder-holster, he stepped out of the woods as the clone who had been helping him dispelled.

"Sorry, just tidying up. I didn't go too overboard did I?"

"No, but several of those traps were ones I've never seen before." Kurenai admitted.

"Well, now I can actually read, thanks to Hinata-chan, I send some clones to the libraries every day." Naruto admitted. "I came across a copy of a book on traps written by Uchiha Madara, the man was a genius! The things he could do with a kunai and a piece of wire… I adapted a few of his traps for this exercise."

"And you did very well." Kurenai agreed, handing Naruto a small envelope. Naruto opened it, then froze.

"…what?"

"All Genin Team Leaders have access to special funds for training purposes, such as hiring other genin or chunin to help." Kurenai explained. "Since you set up the traps for their training and have been helping by providing an op-force for them to train against, you get money to compensate you for your time. I know it's less than a D-rank mission, but every ryo helps, right?"

Naruto tucked the coupon into his pouch. "Thanks, Kurenai-san."

"No, thank _you_." Kurenai replied. "Ever since you let Hinata start helping you, she's become far more self-confident."

"Meh, Hinata-chan's totally awesome in her own right, believe it!" Naruto grinned. "I still have no clue how Sakura beat her to the Kunoichi of the year position. How is she and the teme getting on anyway?"

"The teme?" Kurenai asked and Naruto slapped his forehead.

"Sorry! I meant Sasuke. With that Kakashi-dude only teaching two of them, he must be teaching them loads, right?"

"He was given a third genin to make a full team." Kurenai supplied, causing Naruto to stare at her in confusion. "Each Jonin-Sensei can ask for a specific pupil…"

"And he asked for the Uchiha." Naruto said with a nod of understanding.

"No, he asked for _you_." Kurenai corrected, earning a stare of disbelief.

"That doesn't make any sense." Naruto groused. "Why would he ask for _me_? Was I supposed to be Sasuke's Eternal Rival in order to boost his progress or something? Sakura's punching bag to help her with her taijutsu?"

"Actually, it's because I knew your parents and thought I could repay the debt I owed them by taking you on. I apologize for not making that clear when we met." Kakashi said from behind Naruto, causing the Genin to leap into the air in shock.

"Aaaaargh! Don't DO that! Wait. You knew my parents? Who were they? Why hasn't anyone told me about them? Were they traitors?"

Kakashi almost sputtered at the last question. "What? Traitors? No! Why would you even _think_ that?"

"'cause no-one talks about them and people tell me I never had parents." Naruto shrugged. "It made sense."

"They're wrong." Kakashi stated. "Due to security concerns, I can't tell you their names, but your parents were both great ninja who loved each other greatly…"

Naruto listened eagerly, not noticing that Kurenai had left silently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sakura has apologized and Kakashi is trying to mend the bridge he hadn't realized until too late was burned.  
> Bashing? What bashing? People screw up, people try to fix. That is not bashing.


	8. Reputation Of A New Genin

"You seem distracted today." Kosuke commented as he and Naruto slowly paced along the great wall surrounding Konoha.

"I found out that yesterday that I totally misread someone." Naruto sighed. "I all but accused him of being a traitor like Mizuke-teme, but he was actually trying, in his own way, to look out for me. Yes, he totally got it wrong, but he's tried to make up for it since."

"Who?" Kosuke asked curiously.

"Jonin Hatake Kakashi. He was kind enough to tell me about my parents."

"Minato and Kushina. Yes, they were wonderful people."

Naruto froze. "You know their names? He said he couldn't tell me due to security reasons!"

Kosuke winced. "Damn, I'm getting too old. I wouldn't have made a mistake like that if I was younger."

Naruto stood, staring into space. "I have my parents names… I can find out all about them… see if they left me anything!"

"Naruto!"

Naruto's attention snapped back to Kosuke.

"…hai?"

"Your parents had enemies." Kosuke said gently but firmly. "Should you try to claim your inheritance, they will find out and they _will_ send assassins to kill you in order to end your parents clans forever. Your father in particular had many enemies who would like nothing better than to see the corpse of his son ripped apart and his head placed on a spike over the gate to their village. If you wish to research your parents, then make _damned_ certain that no-one, and I mean _no-one_ can trace the research back to you. Don't go to the archives yourself, send clones using Henge. Deploy the clones and have them hide for an hour or more before they head in so that no-one links your actions to their arrival. Have the clones find somewhere secret to dispel since knowledge of your usage of _Kage Bunshin_ is spreading.  
"And above all, once you confirm your parents clan-names, tell _no-one_ unless you are in a truly private room with security seals in place.  
"Having said all that, I think that when you find out exactly who they were, you will be inspired to train harder and better than ever before."

Naruto nodded. "Thanks, Sempai."

"Now, since I've messed up enough for the day, we may as well discuss infiltration and interrogation techniques, also known as how to get information from others." Kosuke said and Naruto grinned at how the old man was able to turn an honest error into a lesson.

He was almost as cool as Jiji.

.

* * *

.

"Well, now that the D-rank is done, it's time to train and today's training will be _different_ for you." Asuma smiled and Shikamaru frowned.

"You seem to be looking forwards to this too much. This means that whatever you have planned for us will be highly troublesome."

Asuma's grin broadened and he stepped to one side, revealing a meter-tall scroll leaning against the tree behind him.

"This is your target." He said. "In the scroll is your dinner. All you have to do is bring it here and unroll it on _that_ table. Don't worry, _I_ won't make a single move to stop you."

The trio of genin glanced at the long table set up in the shade, then back at the scroll.

"The test will start in ten… nine… eight…"

Shikamaru frowned in thought as both Ino and Choji crouched, ready to run to the scroll.

"Seven… six… five… four… three… two… one… _go_!"

Even as Asuma gave the command, a black-clad ninja dropped out of the tree, grabbed the scroll and sprinted off.

"Dammit!" Shikamaru cursed as he dashed after his two team-mates."I should have locked it into place with my shadow!"

"What the _hell_?" Ino screeched and Shikamaru looked up just as a dozen identically-clad clones leapt on him.

.

"So, what did the real you want in exchange for this exercise instead of the usual payment?" Asuma asked.

"Boss was wondering if you could help us find out his elemental affinity." The short ninja replied even as he pulled off his hood to let his blond spiky hair wave in the breeze.

"I'll get you some chakra paper tomorrow." Asuma said and the clone nodded, then twitched.

"Your genin have almost fought free of the first group."

.

Shikamaru punched the last enemy, dispelling him in the now-familiar cloud of smoke and looked round.

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know." Ino grumbled, trying to put her hair back into its normal ponytail.

"We _have_ to find him!" Choji panicked. "That scroll contains all of our food!"

Shikamaru bent down and picked up a piece of paper by his feet.

"Clue one. The four watch over, yet only one watches. Go where the hat would rest on stone. Beware the route up to the top, 'tis not safe to go alone." He read.

"What?" Ino asked in disbelief. "What the hell does _that_ mean?"

"The next clue is on the Hokage mountain." Shikamaru said. "We'll probably have to fight another group of clones in order to find the next clue."

"What?" Ino started, then she shook her head. "Never mind, let's go."

.

"How long did it take Shikamaru to work out the problem?" Asuma asked as he lit another cigarette.

"About five seconds." The clone laughed. "Of course, he got the threat wrong…"

.

Ino staggered into the clearing, her clothing ripped, her skin blotched with bruises and various dyes. Choji and Shikamaru followed, both showing evidence of having been caught in traps, but nowhere near as much as Ino.

"Who the _hell_ traps _every_ single _foot_ of the damn path?" Ino howled. "You two were _useless_!"

"We kept telling you not to charge ahead." Shikamaru mumbled.

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Calm down, Ino." Choji said placatingly.

" **I'M PERFECTLY CALM!** "

Choji sidled backwards and Shikamaru sighed.

"Alright, everyone look round. The next clue should be on the Sandaime's head."

.

"Oh, this should be fun."

.

"Of the four ways, you used the fourth when the third would have carried you past." Shika read, ignoring Ino's snarls. "The obvious way is not always correct. Clue two. When leaving the village, this path you will take, but don't leave the leaf for that would be a mistake."

Choji tilted his head slightly and Shikamaru sighed. "Main gate."

Ino stormed back down the path, then screamed as a noose wrapped round her ankle and hoisted her up into the air.

"I think we should find another way down." Shikamaru mused as Ino turned the air blue. "It looks like the traps have been reset."

"The fourth way?" Choji asked. "It seems familiar…"

"There are four ways to deal with any obstacle." Shikamaru recited. "Over, under, around or through."

"Ah."

"STOP YAMMERING AND **GET ME** **DOWN!** "

.

* * *

.

Asuma smirked as the tottering forms of his genin approached. All of them showed significant signs of having been forced to do more work than they were used to and Shikamaru's jacket was still smoldering while Choji's bandanna was ripped, letting his hair stick out in all directions with a small electrical spark occasionally jumping between them.

"The damn password is _Uzumaki_." Shikamaru growled and the scroll dropped out of the branches, landing on the table. "Naruto, I'd like you to know that I really, _really_ hate you right now. I hope you know that."

"You ruined my wardrobe!" Ino tried to shriek, but her exhaustion prevented her from getting any real volume. Asuma glanced at her and his eyes widened at the sight of the rags tied together to form an impromptu pair of shorts and chest-wrap.

"Holy crap!" Naruto gasped from beside him. "You mean the trap with the three lemons and the paperclip actually worked? Madara really was a genius!"

Ino tried to charge forwards to rend Naruto into pieces, but collapsed on the grass before she could even cover a third of the distance.

"Looks like I've been slacking off." Asuma sighed. "Naruto, I'll hire you again next week for another round, but remember to pop by tomorrow for the paper."

Shikamaru gave his Sensei a pained look, then slumped onto the ground.

"Before then, though, I think a finishing spar would be a good idea."

All three genin of Team 10 glared at their Sensei.

.

* * *

.

"Well, don't you look like the cat that ate the cream." Hayate called as Asuma walked into the Jonin Bar.

"One of the new genin's gonna need a nickname." Asuma called back, catching everyone's attention. "I just finished watching him give my team the run-around all round Konoha then beating them all in a single spar, he's a real challenge as an antagonist."

"Uzumaki Naruto?" Kurenai asked from where she was sitting with Anko and Asuma nodded. "I've hired him several times to provide opposition for my team. Since I trade training with him, and Hinata helps him with his reading skills, I don't really need to pay all that much for his help."

"How can _one_ new genin take on a full team?" A voice called. Asuma and Kurenai looked at each other and chorused the answer.

"Kage Bunshin."

"He can generate several hundred of them and keeps coming up with new tricks using them." Kurenai added. "Yesterday, he had some Henge into caltrops, then they transformed back and dog-piled my team when they were halfway across the field."

"He pulled a double-kawarimi in the finishing spar I asked him to do." Asuma noted. "He kawarimi'd away from Shikamaru's shadow technique, leaving a log in his place, then when Shikamaru turned away, he swapped back and took him down."

"Deyaaaamn." One of the Jonin whistled in awe. "How the hell did none of _us_ consider doing that before? I know what I'll be practicing tonight."

"Op Force." Anko said and everyone looked at her in confusion. "What? You two are hiring him to be just that. _Op Force Uzumaki_. Has a nice ring to it."

"Yosh!" Gai shouted from the corner, causing several of the Jonin to jump as they hadn't actually realized that he was there. "Truly he is ablaze with the flames of youth! Tomorrow I shall hire him for my squad!"

"You do know he does morning wall patrols, right?" Asuma asked.

" _Op Force_ and the _Eternal Genin_." Anko sniggered. "Kid's probably already learned more from Kosuke than he learned in his years at the Academy."

"Now that he can actually read, yes." Kurenai agreed and almost half the Jonin stared at her.

"Hold on." Asuma said slowly. "What exactly do you mean, _now_ that he can read?"

Kurenai looked round at the silent crowd.

"If he managed to pass when he couldn't read," Asuma continued, "Just how far have the Academy standards dropped since _we_ were genin?"

.

* * *

.

Naruto flopped onto his bed with a satisfied sigh and closed his eyes. His daily clone-lessons with Hinata had gone very well, to the point that between his own determination and Hinata's memories of helping him learn, he was finally up to the educational level he should have been at.

A sudden rush of memories flooded into his mind and he concentrated on sorting out the data accumulated by his research-clones. A few seconds later, his bed was empty and his front door was swinging shut.

.

"And _done_." Hiruzen sighed as he passed the last stack of paper to his assistant. "Well, I think that I've done enough for today."

The assistant edged out of the room, being careful not to drop any of the sheets of paper and Hiruzen slid open one of the drawers in his desk, pulling out an orange-covered book.

"Let's see, let's see… escaped the castle… in the cave… where is… aha! In the cave and Rai is helping Zuna to warm up… hehehehe…"

"Jiji!"

The echoing shout gave Hiruzen _just_ enough time to slam the book closed, drop it back in the drawer, slam the drawer shut and re-position himself to face the door a bare quarter-second before Naruto raced in.

"…I wasn't aware that I had invited you to a sleepover." Hiruzen joked and Naruto glanced down at his pajamas.

"No time for joking." He panted. "Jiji, this is _real_ important, like… _very_ important!"

As Naruto repeated the word important, he flashed four fingers at Hiruzen and shot a significant glance at the row of pictures on the wall, the row showing all four Hokages. Hiruzen paled and quickly channeled chakra into an other-wise insignificant portion of his desk.

"We're secure." He said, praying that his concern was misplaced. "What is it?"

"I've been having clones doing research for me and I've finished putting things together." Naruto said, leaning on the desk. "When were you going to tell me that my old man was the Yondaime?"

Hiruzen stared at the young genin.


	9. Revelations Of A New genin

"When were you going to tell me that my old man was the Yondaime?"

Hiruzen stared in shock at the young genin, then he gathered his wits.

"Tell me what you've worked out and what you think might be, but are unsure about." He commanded.

"First, my parents were Uzumaki Kushina and Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato." Naruto stated. "I've seen a picture of him at the academy, draw whiskers on him and he looks almost exactly like me. Since he had enemies that are still around, they would almost certainly try to kill me to get to him, even though he's dead.  
"Second, they both died on the night that I was born and the Kyuubi attacked. Somehow, I doubt that it was a coincidence, but I don't know for sure.  
"Third, _something_ happened to the Kyuubi at the Valley of the End when Hirashima and Mito faced off against it, something that kept it hidden until I was born. I can't help but think that my birth had something to do with it, but I can't make the connection, kaasan wasn't even alive back then.  
"Fourth, the Kyuubi was sealed into me, how did dad know it was possible to do that? Has it been done before?"

Hiruzen held up a hand to stem Naruto's rapid-fire statements and questions.

"You have most of the pieces." Hiruzen admitted. "Your mother was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi before you, but she was the second one. Uzumaki Mito, the woman who became Hirashima's wife, was the first, she transferred the burden to your mother when she was dying.  
"The seal used on a female Jinchuuriki to contain the Biju weakens when she gives birth, which is one of the reasons why why your mother moved to a hideout outside the village walls when you were due to be born. We don't know what happened, but your parents died to re-seal the Kyuubi, leaving only you and no witnesses. My wife was helping your mother, but she was killed by whoever or whatever caused your mother's seal to break.  
"I had intended to tell you all of this when you either turned sixteen or you reached the rank of chunin since either would hopefully mean you could learn it without instantly running off to shout out the news all over the village, alerting your father's enemies and getting killed as a result. Since you found most of it out, though…"

Hiruzen trailed off and Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

"Did they leave anything for me?"

"Not as much as you might think." Hiruzen admitted."Kushina was the last of the Uzumaki from Uzushiogakure and when it fell, all her family's wealth was lost, either destroyed in the attack or seized by the other villages. As for your father… well,the position of Hokage doesn't actually pay all that well and his custom kunai were relatively expensive, especially with how many he used, so your father never amassed a large fortune. There are several technique scrolls from your parents, your mothers Fuuinjutsu scrolls and a more… eclectic collection that your father owned, but most of those were damaged in the Kyuubi's attack. Fortunately, there are those who know your father's two most famous moves, the _Rasengan_ and the _Hiraishin_."

"Can I meet them?" Naruto asked and Hiruzen frowned.

"Those who know the _Rasengan_ or those who know the _Hiraishin_?"

"For now, the _Hiraishin_." Naruto decided after several seconds of deep thought. "While learning dad's attack jutsu would be cool, I think I should pay more attention to the technique that lets me escape to fight another day."

"Two of them are currently on a mission and it takes all three of them to perform the technique." Hiruzen said. "I'm afraid you'll need to wait a couple of weeks to see it in action."

Naruto nodded, then glanced at the clock and cursed. " _Kuso_! I really need to get some sleep, or I'll be late for my practice with Hinata-chan tomorrow and I have a D-rank helping team nine after that!"

"Practice? Is _that_ what they're calling it now?" Hiruzen chortled as he lowered the security seals.

"DAMMIT, ERO-JIJI!"

.

* * *

.

"Ah, Naruto! You have joined us!"

Naruto grinned nervously at Gai's bombastic greeting, then looked at the trio of genin staring at him.

"Tenten?"

"Hi, Naruto." Tenten replied with a smile.

"Ah! So you know this paragon of youthfulness!"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he came to dad's to replace his old bright-orange rags with something more suited to being a shinobi. He was with your cousin and her teacher, Neji."

Neji glared at Naruto for a long moment before turning away.

"And the mini-Gai is Rock Lee." Tenten said with a wave of her hand.

"I am pleased to meet you!"

Naruto blinked, wondering if he should try a _genjutsu_ dispel.

"So." Gai boomed. "Now you are here, we can begin. We will finish our warmups while you set a series of traps on the route we agreed on, then I shall send my genin in to test their youthful prowess! While they are doing so, I shall help you find a taijutsu style of your own!"

Naruto nodded and summoned two-dozen clones. "Alright, guys. You know what to do."

"YOSH!"

.

"It's done." Naruto said as he re-entered the clearing.

"That was fast, barely twenty minutes." Gai said with a slight frown.

"Kage Bunshin."

"Ah, of course!" The Jonin exclaimed, his face brightening. "So, my students, your task is simple. Make your way from one safe point to the next until your route brings you back here."

"The safe-points are marked by yellow ropes on the ground in the shape of a square." Naruto added. "There's also an arrow in each one pointing to the next safe point."

"Sounds simple enough." Tenten said. "Is that the first one there?"

Naruto nodded and Lee seemed to blur into the rope-marked area. "I see the arrow! It goes down the path!"

As the other two ran to catch up, Lee vanished down the path, only for a _TWANG!_ to sound, followed by a yelp of surprise.

"Snare trap." Naruto shrugged at Gai's inquisitive look.

"I see." Gai mused, then he grinned. "It will be educational for them! Now, let us see about building a proper foundation for your youthful fighting skills! Show me your stances."

Naruto started to move through the Katas he had painstakingly learned under Ko's supervision and Gai frowned.

"I see that you were taught badly at first, but someone… probably a Hyuuga, has tried to help you correct it." Gai said. "However, given your body shape, I believe I have a better style for you to learn."

.

"Son of a bitch!" Neji cursed as the trap he had carefully triggered from a safe distance with a thrown kunai triggered no less than _three_ other traps in turn, forcing him and his team to dodge out of the way of three logs, a spray of shuriken and six eggs.

Neji blinked and grabbed one of the ovoids out of the air.

Yep, an egg.

"Naruto-kun is most tricky with these traps!" Lee exulted and he sprang back to his feet.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Tenten growled as she tried to brush the shattered egg out of her hair. "It's like he _knows_ all the standard ways to disarm traps and has set more traps against those methods."

"Then we shall have to use _non_ -standard methods!" Lee grinned as he stepped forwards, only for the path to cave in under his feet.

"Lee!" Tenten shouted as she and Neji managed to grab the falling boy's arms and drag him back. For a long moment, the trio remained motionless, then Neji glanced over the edge of the pit and frowned.

"Who fills a trap pit with… _fish_?"

"What?"

.

Gai walked through the crowd of Narutos, correcting an occasional punch, altering the path of a palm-strike or adjusting a stance. To one side, the real Naruto concentrated on the crunches, jumps and push-ups that he had been assigned.

"No." He said, stopping in front of one of the clones. "You need to _flow_ with this move, not… _clomp_. Like _this_."

The clone watched as Gai slowly moved through the four-stage Kata portion.

"Now try."

.

"I'm… going… to… _kill_ … him…" Neji panted, his normal reserve in abeyance as he knelt in the penultimate safe zone, his normally-pristine appearance marred by innumerable stains, rips, tears and other less-identifiable substances.

"He's… tricky." Tenten gasped as she re-tied the sting holding her shredded top together.

"How is he so youthful in the art of traps?" Lee asked, bouncing up and down as he prepared himself for the final stretch, ignoring the fact that he was missing an entire leg and sleeve from his spandex unitard while the torso resembled a net more than anything else, thus revealing that he _wasn't_ wearing a vest underneath.

"I think… I've seen him reading a book." Tenten mused as she rose to her feet. "Something about traps by… who was it? Aha! Uchiha Madara!"

"He was _renowned_ for his trapping skills." Neji stated. "There is a copy of his manual of traps in the Hyuuga library, the _only_ book in there that was written by an Uchiha."

"And the traps it shows?" Tenten prompted.

"I… have not read it." Neji admitted. "But I will as soon as I get home. I will _not_ let another day like this happen again!"

"Then let's go!" Lee shouted as he leapt forwards.

_TWANG!_

Neji and Tenten shook their heads in disbelief as Lee bounced up and down, suspended by his ankle.

"Has he hit _every_ snare trap we've come across?" Tenten asked.

"Perhaps it is his fate."

Tenten gave Neji a shocked look.

.

"Excellent." Gai declared as Naruto used the memories attained by his clones to flow smoothly through the first complete Kata. "You have done well… and it seems as though my youthful team has finished their training for today in the art of traps."

Naruto turned and his eyes widened at the sight of the trio of bruised, battered and disheveled shinobi glaring at him.

"I think I'd better leave…" Naruto said nervously as he saw Tenten's fingers twitching as if she was about to go for her kunai. "Thanks for the lesson, Gai-sensei… bye!"

Gai blinked as Naruto sprinted off, then turned to his team.

"So, my youthful apprentices," He grinned, "What lessons have you learned from this?"

"Naruto. Needs. To. Die." Neji ground out as Tenten nodded in agreement. "Painfully. And. Slowly."

"That… is _not_ the lesson I was hoping for you to learn…"

.

* * *

.

"Kosuke."

"Hiruzen." The genin replied as he sat down in front of the Hokage's desk.

"How goes Naruto's education?"

Kosuke blinked a couple of times, as if re-ordering his thoughts, before answering.

"The boy's an information sponge. I still have to dumb it down a bit, but nowhere near what his file says is needed. He also uses his clones to do research, all I have to do is mention a subject and he sends several clones to read up on it."

Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully.

"I've been mainly covering the stuff the Academy doesn't teach." Kosuke continued. "International politics and why they're important, non-verbal communication, the acquisition of information through various means, battlefield psychology… and I'm going to have to _seriously_ hurt the Academy Councillor for telling Naruto that he'd probably enjoy killing because he's a monster."

"I'll help." Hiruzen growled.

"Anyway, right now, Naruto could probably pass for Chunin in the non-physical aspects. I'm not certain about his physical skills, though."

"Maito Gai has begun teaching him a new style, Hyuuga Ko occasionally drills him in the Academy Style, the _proper_ forms, and he spars with several of the teams." Hiruzen supplied, causing Kosuke's eyebrows to shoot up.

"Really? My Kohai is growing stronger, then. That's good."

Hiruzen hid a smile at Kosuke's declaration. "You know, there is a pile of mission requests for you building up."

Kosuke shrugged. "Give me the rest of the week on the Wall and I'll start looking at them again."

"He's impressed you that much, has he?" Hiruzen chuckled, then the amusement vanished. "Any idea how he found out about who his parents were?"

Kosuke blinked as he carefully considered his answer.

"Well," He began, "Part of it is that I have, as I mentioned, been teaching him how to acquire information…"


	10. Discoveries Of A New Genin

"It's been an honor, Sempai." Naruto said with a bow, which Kosuke returned.

"You have been an excellent student." Kosuke replied. "Were I not going on a mission to the north, I would be happy to continue your education."

"You have already taught me more than I learned in the Academy." Naruto shrugged. "I know I still have a long way to go, but I'm finally on the right path thanks to you… Sensei."

Kosuke smiled broadly, his eyes glittering with unshed tears of pride.

"I believe that you will reach your goal, and I will be there to bow to you."

Naruto tried to speak, but he couldn't force the words out past the sudden blockage in his throat.

"I will see you again some time… Kohai." Kosuke smiled, then he vanished in a swirl of leaves. Naruto stared at where he had been, then looked down.

"Huh? What's this?"

Picking up the scroll, Naruto unrolled it slightly, then he grinned.

"Instructions for _Shunshin_? Thanks, Kosuke-sensei!"

.

* * *

.

Hinata threw herself into an airborne roll just shy of being a full somersault in order to avoid being tackled by a trio of Narutos.

Her mind tried to pull up images of what she could do with three Narutos, but she suppressed the distracting thoughts with the ease of long practice even as she spun on one shoulder, delivering Jyuuken strikes with her feet in order to clear some space. Bouncing back up, Hinata lashed out behind her, hearing the normal _pop_ of a dissipating Shadow Clone.

"Gatsuga!"

Kiba and Akamaru barreled through the attacking clones and Hinata pirouetted on the spot, allowing the duo to pass one either side of her so closely that her jacket rippled from the displaced air, then she took advantage of the newly-cleared path to sprint to where Shino was being over-run, taking out half of the clones mobbing him before they knew she was there.

"And done!"

At Kurenai's shout, the remaining clones vanished in clouds of chakra smoke, except for one which simply strolled to Kurenai's side.

"Stand down, students." Kurenai smiled and Hinata flopped into a sitting position, then she mentally winced as she saw Ko watching from the sidelines.

No doubt her lack of grace would be reported to the Hyuuga Council.

"Twelve minutes to destroy one hundred attacking clones." Kurenai said approvingly as Kiba threw himself to the ground, panting for breath. "Now, what went wrong?"

"My taijutsu skills, although I am technically proficient in their katas, seem insufficient to situations such as this." Shino admitted.

"The problem is that your taijutsu skills are _too_ perfect." Kurenai said, earning a confused tilt of the head. "You do each move perfectly, in its entirety, before moving onto the next move. You need to learn to _flow_ from one move to the next so that the end of one move should overlap with the start of the next."

"I see." Shino mused. "I shall endeavor to correct that problem."

"Kiba, that last big attack of yours and Akamaru's almost hit Hinata." Kurenai continued. "However, you managed to bracket her perfectly. Was it intentional?"

"Shit, I almost hit Hinata?" Kiba gasped. "Sorry, I thought you were somewhere else."

"Situational awareness in combat." Kurenai said slowly. "I see that we'll have to work on that."

"We had a few spare clones ready to switch if it looked like anyone was about to get seriously injured." The clone interjected. "One of us was about to swap with Hinata until she did that _awesome_ dance-like move between Kiba and Akamaru."

Hinata blushed in pleasure at Naruto's comment.

A sudden burst of chakra shocked the genin to their feet as Naruto appeared in the middle of the clearing… seven feet above the ground.

"Ye-whooooaaa!"

Naruto managed to turn his uncontrolled fall into a tumbling roll which would have ended with him back on his feet… if Hinata hadn't been in the way.

"Ooof!"

Hinata opened her eyes to find Naruto staring at her in worry from inches away.

"Hinata-chan, are you alright? I'm sorry!"

"Ahem."

Naruto almost levitated off Hinata as Ko coughed dramatically from just behind them. Hinata spared an instant to give a quick glare to a sniggering Kiba and smirking Kurenai before she held out her hand for Naruto. Taking his cue, he pulled her to her feet.

"Sorry, I was practicing the _Shunshin_ and, well… I've _almost_ got it…"

"Not quite, boss." The clone called. "See for yourself!"

The clone dispelled and Naruto managed to both pale and blush at the same time as he received the memory of his failure.

"Sorry, Hinata-chan." He said with a slight wince. "I hope I didn't hurt you…"

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled back at him. "What book are we working through today?"

Ko lifted an eyebrow as Naruto brandished a medical text. "Basic primer for battlefield medicine. With my reserves, there's no way I'm ever going to be able to become a medic-nin, but battlefield medicine, herbs, bandaging, setting bones and stuff, that I can learn and it'll _really_ help on missions outside Konoha."

"Several of the Hyuuga clan have chosen the path of the Iryonin." Ko commented. "Our eyes give us a considerable advantage."

"I'm ready." Hinata said and before Ko could protest, she hugged Naruto, then a cloud of chakra smoke announced the formation of two clones, one of whom was Hinata.

"That felt weird." Naruto mused as he looked at Hinata.

"I… I've been using Jyuuken for the last hour." Hinata explained. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to _push_ like that…"

"Shouldn't make any difference." Naruto mused. "Hey, you two still us? Um, I mean, are you, me and are you Hinata?"

"I'm your clone, boss." The male clone announced while the female clone blushed slightly and poked her forefingers together. "Yep, that's Hime-sama."

"See, no probs." Naruto shrugged. "Now, I can give you some more clones, but then I've got another mission, with team seven this time. Huh, you know, this'll be the first time I've seen the te… ehhh… I mean Sasuke and Sakura since the test. Huh, I wonder who the replacement for me is?"

.

* * *

.

"Tobio?!"

"Naruto!" The dark-haired Genin waved. "Hey, listen. I never got to say sorry for accidentally causing you and Sasuke to…"

"THAT NEVER HAPPENED!" Both male genin roared, causing Tobi to cringe, then they glanced at each other in surprise while Sakura started to giggle.

"I thought you were in a different team." Naruto asked, hoping to redirect the conversation and Tobio shrugged.

"I was assigned to team three with Raidomaru and Kinoku. We were given a test and the other two decided to squabble over who would do it better. I managed to do some of the test, but I couldn't do it all since the other two didn't help. Apparently that's why I was given a second chance on team seven, because I was willing to _try_ to work as part of a team."

"Wow, nice one." Naruto grinned, exchanging a high-five with his former classmate.

"Why are you here, Naruto?" Sakura asked. "And why are you still wearing a Hitai-ate? Didn't you go back to the Academy?"

"He's an independent Genin." Sasuke supplied before Naruto could answer and Sakura stared at him in confused shock. "What? After that fiasco of a test, I checked the Uchiha Archives and discovered the difference between an Academy-promoted Genin and a _mission_ -promoted Genin. So, am I correct in assuming that you're the opposition for this afternoon's training?"

"Yep, you're going up against _Op-force Uzumaki_." Kakashi said from behind them, causing all four Genin to jump in shock. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to discuss the situations we'll be setting you up against."

The trio stared in shock as Kakashi (who was _early_!) vanished with the blond Genin.

"What just happened?" Sakura finally asked.

.

"Lord Hokage told me you found out about your parents." Kakashi said as they reappeared amongst the trees.

"The Fourth… your Sensei." Naruto replied quietly. "And his wife who was the second to bear the burden I now have."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Kakashi sighed. "I wasn't in a good place mentally after Sensei died, it took me several years to get myself back together. By that time, the other villages were keeping an eye on me since they thought that if Sensei had an heir, I would be the one to act as guardian…"

"So you stayed away to keep me safe." Naruto finished. "And trying to get me on your team?"

"To try to protect you and repay the debt I owed your parents." Kakashi confirmed. "I _knew_ I'd be assigned Sasuke, so I thought that the other villages would assume you were merely there to bulk out the team, not because of your heritage."

Naruto nodded. "I understand, Hatake-san. I do have two quick questions before we start planning what to do to your team. Do you know the _Rasengan_? And what about the _Hiraishin_?"

Kakashi held up his right hand, in which a sparkling sphere of chakra was spinning. "This is the _Rasengan_ , taught to me by your father. As for the _Hiraishin_ , I was going to learn it, but the Kyuubi…"

Kakashi trailed off and Naruto nodded.

"That bastard fox screwed up so many things when it attacked…"

"Yeah…"

For a long moment, the duo remained in silent contemplation of what could have been.

.

* * *

.

"We are going to do three scenarios, one after the other." Kakashi told his team as he unrolled a topographical map of Konoha and the surrounding environs. "Scenario one is attacking a bandit camp with thirty bandits, some of whom may have had training equal to a new Genin. You will be rescuing a hostage… me.  
"Scenario two is protecting me as you get me to a secure location. I will not be moving faster than a civilian, nor will I defend myself beyond basic dodging, so you'll have to protect me for the journey from the camp _here_ to the waystation _here_. Expect up to twenty bandits for this.  
"Scenario three is repelling an assault by a third group of bandits until reinforcements can arrive. For that one, I will be acting in my capacity as your Jonin-sensei with a dummy taking the role of rescued civilian. The dummy has several bags of red-dyed water inside it representing its brains, heart, lungs and gut. If any of those bags get stabbed, the scenario ends as a fail.  
"Now, _this_ is a map of the camp and I'll be in the open, in a wooden cage just _here_. There'll be guards here, here and here with orders to terminate me if there's a rescue attempt, so you'll need to move _fast_. Other than that, how you do it is up to you. See you when you rescue me!"

Kakashi vanished and Sakura moved to the place where he had been, looking closely at the lines of the map.

"There's a ridge behind the camp here." She pointed out. "If we take it and use kunai to nail the guards, we can then descend using a rope…"

"We'll have to be careful." Sasuke interjected. "I've heard nasty things about Naruto's trapping skills… He's probably got all of the primary approaches trapped, so we'll have to do what he doesn't expect… like circle round rather than head straight there."

Tobio and Sakura both nodded in agreement.

.

Naruto smirked as the trio set out for the first stage, then his eyes narrowed in appreciation as they took a side-path, one of the few that he hadn't trapped.

"Now, how did you know to do _that_?" he whispered as he started to rise, then he paused as two streams of memories flowed into his mind.

"Huh, I'm going to have to devote a _lot_ of attention to learning those terms. I didn't even know what a gallbladder _was_ … heck, I didn't even know it existed!"

Naruto closed his eyes as he concentrated on settling the memories correctly into his mind, then he re-opened them.

"Time to move out."

.

Hinata's eyes stared slightlessly as not one, but _two_ memory streams flowed into her mind.

"Hinata-sama?" Ko asked quietly as Hinata paled, then blushed furiously.

"He thinks I'm really pretty." Hinata whispered, wavering slightly as her mind repeatedly replayed the memory from Naruto's clone of him stealing glances at her. "He _admires_ me…"

Ko managed to catch the Hyuuga Heiress as she collapsed, a huge smile spread across her face.


	11. Experiences Of A New Genin

Kakashi sat cross-legged in the wooden cage in the middle of the mocked-up bandit camp, reading his newest _Icha Icha_ book. Even though he seemed totally disinterested in anything happening outside his prison, he noted that Naruto's clones had set the camp up in a manner similar to a camp that he had taken out during his days in ANBU, a mission in which they had been led by none other than then-chunin Yuhi Kurenai as part of her evaluation for the rank of Jonin.

Kakashi glanced round covertly, noting the places where he would have approached from, the places that looked like good approach lanes but were well-guarded and the places which would be suicidal to attack from.

"No sign of any acivity." One of the "bandit" clones reported to the "nukenin" clone leader. The leader turned to respond, then a kunai slammed straight through his head, dispelling him.

"Attack!" The _bandit_ screamed. "They're on the ridge! Ge…"

Another kunai slammed into his chest and the _bandit_ vanished in a cloud of smoke. Putting his book away, Kakashi looked round, noting that the accurate throws were only happening near his position while the rest of the camp was being bombarded by _Kage Kunai Bunshin_ s.

Now, when had Sasuke learned _that_?

Or was it Tobio?

It certainly wasn't Sakura, she didn't have the required chakra reserves.

.

Sakura threw another pair of kunai and her hands flickered through the technique, multiplying the blades as they arced downwards.

"I'm down to two-thirds." Tobio said as he pulled his hands off Sakura's shoulders and the kunoichi nodded.

"Okay, matching your chakra was rather more tiring than the scroll said. Sasuke?"

"All guards near the cage neutralized." Sasuke reported.

Sakura nodded and kicked at the stones tied to the ends of the coiled ropes. The stones dropped over the edge of the low cliff and Tobio crouched down as they went taut.

"Cover me as I go down."

"On it." Sasuke confirmed, a brace of kunai in each hand and Tobio swung himself over the edge.

"Think we got them all?" Sakura asked quietly.

"There isn't any movement, but we can't relax yet." Sasuke muttered, then he leaned forwards slightly. "Tobio's reached the bottom. Let's go."

Sakura swallowed as she made sure her grip was solid, then she let herself slide down the rope, landing between her two team-mates.

"All clear so far." Tobio reported, his normal jocularity in abeyance.

"Then let's move." Sasuke commanded.

.

Kakashi smiled as Sakura ignored the heavy padlock and thick chain holding the gate to the cage closed, instead slicing through the rope hinges.

"Sir, let's go." She said and Kakashi nodded as he stepped past the dismounted gate.

"You've done well so far. Stage one success."

"Now we have stage two." Sakura sighed.

"We're avoiding the direct route." Sasuke said. "It'll take longer, but there'll be less cover for ambushers and hopefully less traps."

"Well then, lead the way." Kakashi smiled. "It's so _wonderful_ to be escorted by such great ninja!"

His students stared at him blankly for a moment.

"Tough crowd."

.

* * *

.

Naruto generated a dozen clones and sent them to disassemble the traps on the routes that Team Seven _hadn't_ taken, since there was no point leaving them to trip up unwary passers-by.

They had surprised him once again. He had expected them to take either one of the more direct routes, or the route that circled around the edge of the designated exercise area, but instead that had gone for one of the longer routes that he had only lightly trapped, and that as a mere precaution.

He was going to have to consider carefully how to do the assault once Kakashi resumed his role as Jonin-sensei.

.

" _Yipe_!"

Tobio dived to the ground as a spray of blunted kunai were fired across the path. Even as the _thunk_ of the launcher sounded, Sasuke was already leaping forwards to deflect the projectiles and take out the launcher.

Sakura helped Tobio to his feet as the sound of splintering wood announced Sasuke's discovery of the launcher, then he re-emerged from the bushes and Sakura gasped.

"Those traps are _sneaky_."Sasuke grumbled. "What I want to know is how he got those kunai to fly so slowly. It almost threw me off, but I _won't_ let him beat me."

Tobio wordlessly pulled out a kunai and held it up in front of Sasuke's face.

"What am I meant to... be… looking…"

"Wow, Sasuke!" Sakura gushed. "You've activated your _sharingan_!"

Sasuke stared in shock at the reflection of his now-red eyes, then he started to grin.

"Well, I wasn't expecting _that_." Kakashi admitted.

.

"He's activated his _sharingan_!" Naruto gawped as the memory popped up in his mind. "Damn, I'm going to have to change my plans for the third stage, or he'll be copying my jutsu left, right and center. Then again, he doesn't know I know about his eyes, so I may be able to use that to my advantage…"

.

"Let's move." Sasuke commanded with a smirk. "He won't know I've activated my bloodlimit, so he won't be expecting it. That should help give us an advantage."

.

* * *

.

"There it is!" Sakura whispered as she pointed. Both her team-mates followed her gaze to the collection of boulders perched on top of the hill.

"Excellent." Sasuke mused. "Cover, concealment, open approaches… as long as Naruto doesn't use too many clones, we should be able to hold that position."

"I'll check it out." Tobio said as he sprinted ahead, vaulting over one of the lower boulders. A moment later, he reappeared and waved for them to approach.

"Well, stage two is complete." Kakashi said as he entered the stone circle and smiled at the sight of the dummy that was taking his role. Naruto had decorated it with a white, spiky wig, an eye-patch and an orange book. As the genin familiarized themselves with the impromptu fortification, Kakashi glanced at the book, finding it to be a blank notepad.

"Alright." Kakashi called. "We should have between five and fifteen minutes to set up, but don't count on it. You three take the left, right and rear respectively while I hold the front since if we were being tracked, that's where the majority will come from. We just need to hold until relieved."

The trio of Genin nodded as they moved to their respective walls.

.

"Attaaaaaaaaaack!"

Kakashi's eye widened as the horde of clones burst out from the treeline. It wasn't the numbers that surprised him, there were actually less than he expected. It was the fact that the clones were holding jury-rigged shields made from woven branches, shields thick enough that a normal kunai throw would have difficulty penetrating them.

"Damn!" Sasuke shouted. "They've got shields! _Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu_!"

Kakashi nodded as he flashed through a series of hand-seals himself. " _Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu_!"

A barrage of small fireballs impacted on the wooden shields, igniting several of them and scorching most of the rest. The clones behind the burning shields didn't drop them, but instead sprinted forwards and Kakashi's eye narrowed as he realized that they were trying to create a smokescreen so that he couldn't see their approach.

"Very clever, Naruto." He whispered as his hands flashed through a new set of seals. "Just what I expected from my Sensei's son… _Suiton, Suidan no Jutsu_!"

Kakashi pulled down his mask and spat out a long blast of water before pulling his mask up again fast enough that no-one had a chance to see his face.

.

"Okay, I didn't see _that_ coming." Naruto mused. "I think it's time for a diversion…"

.

Sasuke blinked in surprise as the clones who had been trying to attack suddenly pulled back, leaving only one standing in the middle of the open area.

"Now you've done it!" The clone shouted. "Prepare to face the wrath of the _Uzumaki Hijitsu_ , the Kage Killer! Proven when it took down the Hokage!"

Sasuke grinned mentally as he activated his _sharingan_. He would copy the technique and use it against Naruto. The look on his face would be priceless.

Both of them blazed through a sequence of hand-seals and in unison shouted out " _Orioke no Jutsu_!"

.

Sakura spun round in shock.

.

Tobio blinked. What did Sasuke just say?

.

Sasuke felt a wave of chakra pass through him and his center of gravity shifted… his back felt chilled… and on the field a naked blond girl waved at him before blowing him a kiss and vanishing.

"What the hell?" He asked, then paused. His voice was pitched higher than normal. Suspiciously, he looked down at himself and then suddenly he remembered just _where_ he had heard the name of that technique from.

.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! DAMMIT NARUTO, HOW DO I END THIS DAMNED TECHNIQUE?"

The high-pitched squeal of feminine fury combined with his clone's memories caused Naruto to fall over, clutching his sides as he howled with laughter. The clones also stopped attacking as they bent over laughing and Kakashi sighed.

"Exercise terminated." He shouted. "Someone tell Sasuke how to change back from Sas _uki_."

The Uchiha in question glared at him, even as she tried to cover her breasts and groin.

"Just… pulse… chakra… concentrate… on… form…" One of the clones gasped and Sasuke closed her eyes in concentration before reverting back to his male form in a cloud of chakra smoke.

"That… that… that…" Sasuke growled, then he glared at Tobio, who was wiping some blood off his upper lip.

"You know, you made a cute girl." Sakura giggled and Sasuke stomped off.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I? Dammit, dobe, how the _hell_ could you claim that this… _orioke no jutsu_ could take out the Hokage?"

"Because Boss used it to KO the old man when he was taking the scroll." One of the clones managed. "Jiji hit the wall so hard, it left a dent. Look just opposite the office door, but to the right."

Sasuke sighed as the humor of the situation finally started to filter through his embarrassed anger.

"Dammit, it's just the sort of thing I can see the Dobe doing. And now _I_ can… I'm going to end up in a situation where I have to use that damned technique, aren't I?"

.

In the Land of Hot Springs, a large, white-haired man lowered his telescope and frowned into the distance.

"My senses tell me that something rather perverted and yet exceedingly humorous just happened." He muttered to himself. For a long moment, he didn't move, then he shrugged.

"Ah well, back to research. Heheheheheee…. Oooooh yes…"

.

Kakashi was still sniggering as he led his team back to the tower half an hour later. As they opened the door, Sasuke sighed at the twinkle of amusement in the Hokage's eyes.

"You know." He accused and the Hokage nodded.

"How?"

Hiruzen pointed at the crystal sphere on his desk.

"Dammit."

"Language… Sas _uki_ -chan." Kakashi giggled.

.

* * *

.

"Morning, Hinata-chan!" Naruto called as he ran up to where Team 8 was assembling. "I really pulled a fun trick on the teme yesterday and… Hinata? What's wrong? What did I do?"

Naruto shot a pleading glance at Kurenai, who responded with a confused shrug.

"Naruto…" Hinata whispered. "Remember how yesterday I accidentally added some chakra to our clones…?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It gave me the memories of your clone." Hinata continued, so quietly that Naruto almost didn't hear her. "I… I _know_ how you feel about me… thank you…"

Naruto caught Hinata in a hug. "You don't hate me for that?" He whispered and Hinata shook her head as she returned his hug. "Thank you."

"You're not mad I got your clone's memories?" Hinata asked in shock and Kurenai inhaled sharply.

"Nah, you've been giving me your memories, so it's only fair you get mine." Naruto replied, still hugging Hinata tightly. "I'd be a real jerk if I thought you getting my memories was a bad thing. I only hope you don't get my habit of being a clueless idiot at times."

"You are _not_ a clueless idiot." Hinata protested, breaking free of Naruto's hug and grabbing his shoulders so that she could glare at him. "I mean it, if you call yourself an idiot again, I'll… I'll…"

"Give him a good kissing?" Kiba supplied as Hinata struggled to find a threat she could use.

"Give you a good kissing!" Hinata finished, then suddenly she turned bright red. " _Eep_!"

Kiba fell over laughing as Hinata fainted with a blush so bright that Kurenai was rather surprised that it hadn't tinted the surrounding area.

"That was not a nice thing you did, Kiba." Shino droned. "However, it was amusing."

"Uzumaki?"

Everyone turned to see three shinobi standing by the edge of the field.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" The leader asked again and Naruto nodded. "My name is Tatami Iwashi. Lord Hokage sent us…"


	12. Progress of A New Genin

Hiashi tilted his head slightly as he listened to Kurenai's report. Inuzuka Tsume and Aburame Shiki flanked him, both as intent on listening as he was.

"So, if I understand what you have said," He interjected as Kurenai finished her report, "By training with Uzumaki Naruto, my daughter's capabilities have increased considerably."

Kurenai nodded. "Hinata had a problem with holding back too much in her spars until Naruto came up with a way to motivate her."

"And that way was?" Hiashi prompted. "I only ask because, in the last month, my daughter has started to win the sparring matches that she has against her sister. Her adaptation of our fighting art to include strikes launched through kicks has been a very unpleasant surprise for those of us who have gone up against her as well."

"She's working on launching strikes from her knees and elbows as well." Kurenai shrugged. "Naruto's idea, his fighting style is very unpredictable, even more so now that it's been rebuilt and honed by Maito Gai."

"And the motivation he used?" Hiashi inquired.

"…kisses." Kurenai mumbled.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow as Tsume snorted with laughter.

"On the cheek, I hope."

Kurenai nodded and Hiashi relaxed slightly. "Then I have no problem with this."

.

Shikaku frowned as Sarutobi Asuma finished the monthly feedback.

"So, you have them spar weekly against Uzumaki-san." He stated. "I had wondered why Shikamaru had decided that _not_ doing physical training was far more troublesome than actually doing it."

"My little princess came home the first time in a jacket she borrowed from Choji." Inoichi reminisced. "Her actual clothing that day was little more than rags tied together, something that she blamed Naruto for. Since then, she's been reading that trap-book by Uchiha Madara almost religiously in her spare time… when she isn't training, that is."

"Choji's started doing more exercise as well." Chouza agreed. "He's building up quite a respectable amount of muscle, he can pick _me_ up now. I think we owe _Op-force_ our thanks for getting our kids interested in actually training."

The other two fathers chuckled in agreement.

.

Kakashi took a sip of tea, somehow drinking it _through_ his mask.

"So, yes." He said. "Your daughter has improved greatly from her Academy days."

"That's good to hear." Haruno Mebuki smiled. "She's been eating more healthily, too."

"Probably the training." Kakashi mused. "After she collapsed for the fourth time, I had a long discussion with her about how limiting her food intake would lead to me releasing her from the team."

"Rather harsh." Kizashi frowned. "But it worked, that's the main thing."

.

* * *

.

"Naruto-kohai."

"Kosuke-sempai!" Naruto grinned as he spun to face the older genin. "I trust your missions went well?"

"They did." Kosuke replied, returning the bow Naruto had given him. "I've finally heard about your new nickname… _op-force_."

" _Kage Bunshin_." Naruto explained with a shrug. "I kinda trade opponents that others can go all-out against for training in things I'm weak at."

"Sensible." Kosuke said. "So, can I see how far you've come? Perhaps a quick spar, followed by a meal. Of course, you'll have to go easy on me, I'm an old man."

"Hah, old like a Bonsai." Naruto shot back. "The older you get, the _tougher_ you get, just like Jiji."

Kosuke smiled as he led the way to the sparring ground that he had reserved before setting out to find his young apprentice.

.

Hiashi paused at the sight in front of him. The entirety of training ground fourteen was a mass of rusty-orange-clad genin, most of whom were practicing various portions of Katas or doing chakra-control exercises.

Near the middle, however, several dozen clones were in a whirling combat with none other than the Eternal Genin who was using a wok as a shield on one arm while he wielded a tanto in the other hand, the blade seeming to blur and dance as he moved through the attackers with the ease of decades of experience.

Hiashi simply stood to one side, his eyes taking in the scene before him, noting the custom style that Naruto was training in. Several of the moves looked oddly familiar and Hiashi realized that, body differences aside, they were almost identical to a few of the moves that Hinata had begun incorporating into her own fighting style.

"Hyuuga-sama."

Hiashi glanced to his side where yet another Naruto stood.

"Good afternoon, Uzumaki-san." Hiashi replied. "Are you the original?"

"No, Boss is over there, doing physical training to increase his physical abilities." The clone said, waving one hand towards the furthest corner of the training field.

"But he will get your memories once you dispel and you know all that he does." Hiashi stated.

"Pretty much, yes." The clone replied, thoughtfully.

"Then I shall speak with you as if you are the original. Walk with me." Hiashi commanded as he turned and moved away from the field.

The duo walked in silence for several moments before Hiashi spoke.

"My daughter is very attached to you, Naruto-san. As a father, I must take an interest in this. What are your intentions towards Hinata?"

"Whatever _she_ wants them to be." The clone replied almost at once. "Boss _owes_ Hinata big-time. She shared her memories with us while she was helping Boss, which is why we know that she actually likes us, although we still don't really get why. We… we _admire_ her. We would _never_ do anything to hurt her. And if anyone tries to hurt her, they _will_ regret it."

Despite his self-control, Hiashi's eyebrows rose slightly at the sheer amount of determination and protectiveness in Naruto's voice.

Emotions that he could respect.

"I see." He said after a long pause. "That attitude is… commendable."

"…that means good, right?" The clone asked and Hiashi hid a sigh.

"Yes, Naruto-san, it does."

"Ah, good." The clone sighed in relief. "We hadn't come across that word before."

.

* * *

.

"Iwashi." Hiruzen said with a slight smile. "Have you succeeded?"

"Uzumaki has the _strangest_ way of learning that I've ever come across." Iwashi said by way of reply as he sat in the seat that Hiruzen indicated. "It does have limits, though. He's probably got enough chakra to duplicate one, maybe two of you, but any more than that, he'll need to start opening Gates."

"Really? I'll have to think about that." Hiruzen mused. "And has he learned the technique?"

"He has learned how _we_ do it." Iwashi said. "He does it in conjunction with two clones, as long as one of the three is flesh-and-blood, all three perform great. If all three are clones… it still works, but the clones dispel before they can stabilize. I handed him the original scroll as you commanded, but I don't know if he'll learn to do it solo. I can't, and I've been trying for years. His method though… we're working on replicating it ourselves."

"Until he does learn the solo method, it won't be useful in combat for him." Hiruzen mused. "Nevertheless, you've done a good job. You and the others will be paid a B-rank for this."

Iwashi stood and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

"Dismissed."

.

Naruto dismissed his two clones and looked round at the dusty room.

"Oh, wow." He breathed as he saw the open racks filled with Kunai resting on wooden pegs. "Awesome!"

A picture on the mantelpiece caught his attention and he walked over to it, reaching out with a trembling hand to trace the faces of the two people in it.

"Mum… Dad…" He breathed as he picked up the picture, then he turned it over.

"Minato and Kushina with their beloved son, Naruto…" He read before turning the picture back. "But where am…"

Naruto stopped as his eyes caught the bulge that Kushina was cradling.

"…this was taken while she was pregnant with me…" He realized. "I… I have to show this to Hinata-chan… wait…"

Naruto looked around and his gaze settled on a wooden box underneath the weapons racks on the wall beside the kunai.

"I wonder…" He mused, his gaze moving between the box and the kunai. "I wonder… Maybe I should talk to Jiji first… _then_ Hinata-chan…"

.

"Please pardon the interruption, but Uzumaki Naruto seeks an audience with Hinata-sama."

Hiashi exchanged a glance with the eldest of his two daughters, then back at the Branch Member standing by the door.

"Show him in."

The Branch member bowed and seemed to vanish.

"This way, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto paused in the door and glanced at the three Hyuuga. "Ah, I didn't mean to interrupt. If this is a bad time…?"

"Not at all, Uzumaki-san." Hiashi said. "You are always welcome here. I do not believe that you know my youngest daughter, Hanabi. Hanabi, this is Uzumaki Naruto, also known as _Op Force Uzumaki_."

"Ah, you heard that name, huh?" Naruto coughed in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm kinda getting quite a few missions 'cause of that."

"Be seated." Hiashi said, motioning to the space next to Hinata. "You wished to speak to us?"

Naruto gave Hanabi a _look_ and Hiashi nodded.

"Hanabi, perhaps you should go to the dojo and start practicing your katas." Hiashi suggested and Hanabi rose to her feet, pouting slightly.

"Yes, father."

Naruto watched her leave, closing the door after her and then a brief pulse of chakra from Hiashi caused lines of fuinjutsu to momentarily pulse into visibility.

"We are secure." Hiashi stated. "You may say whatever you wish."

"This… is kinda hard…" Naruto admitted. "Hinata, I know you've seen how many of the civilians don't like me. Well, it all goes back to these two."

Naruto pulled a picture out of his Haori and Hinata accepted it.

"This is the Yondaime!"

"And his wife, Uzumaki Kushina." Hiashi added.

"You knew about that?" Naruto asked in shock. "Um, look at the back."

Hinata turned it over. "Minato and Kushina with their beloved son… _Naruto_ … Your father…?"

"Was the Yondaime." Naruto confirmed. "And my mother was the second Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

Hinata looked at Naruto. "The second?"

"Senju Mito, born Uzumaki Mito, was the first." Naruto explained. "She passed the burden to my mother…"

… … … …

"…and so they sacrificed themselves to seal the Kyuubi into me, making me the third Jinchuuriki." Naruto finished. "However, word got out about my burden and since civilians generally don't understand sealing, they decided that I _was_ the Kyuubi."

"Then they're stupid!" Hinata exclaimed before glancing at her father and seeming to shrink. "Ummm…"

"I agree with you, Hinata." Hiashi said calmly. "I assume you had the Hokage's permission to tell us this?"

"I'm allowed to tell whoever I think can be trusted." Naruto replied with a shrug. "Hinata _deserves_ to know this now, 'cause when my parentage finally comes out, there'll be a _lot_ of people trying to kill me as being the heir of the Yellow Flash. Others'll be angry that the _demon-child_ could actually be related to the greatest hero of a generation… in other words, things'll get noisy _and_ dangerous."

"I'll be there for you." Hinata whispered, kissing Naruto on his cheek, then she froze as she remembered her father's presence.

"Actually, this situation could help me resolve a problem I have with the Hyuuga elders." Hiashi mused. "Hinata, how would you like to be engaged to the son of a Kage?"

As Naruto stared blankly at Hiashi, Hinata let out a squeal of joy and wrapped her arms around Naruto.

"Son of a Kage?"

"You, you _lovely_ baka!" Hinata whispered in his ear. "Yes! It would mean Hanabi-chan wouldn't be at risk of receiving the Caged Bird Seal!"

"And neither would you, my daughter." Hiashi agreed. "Of course, the actual marriage would not be able to take place until either you are both chunin or of a rational age… say, sixteen."

Naruto looked at Hinata's smile and nodded.

"As long as Hinata-chan's happy with it, then so am I."

"Excellent." Hiashi stated, then he rose to his feet, glancing at where Hinata was hugging Naruto, neither of them paying any attention to anything other than the other."Yes, I can foresee that this will save me a great deal of aggravation from the Elders."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Naruto half-shouted as he extricated himself from Hinata's grasp. "I have a couple of things for you. Here's the first."

Hinata took the silver-chain necklace with the engraved tag on it, the embossed Uzumaki spiral glinting in the light. "What's this?"

"My father gave it to my mother to wear when they got engaged." Naruto said and Hinata handed it back to him and turned round.

"Can you put it on for me, Naruto-kun?"

Hiashi hid a smirk as Naruto gently placed the necklace around Hinata's neck and fastened the catch.

"There you go, Hinata-chan."

Hinata looked down at the tag resting on her chest, then spun round and glomped Naruto, toppling them both to the ground.

"You know, just because I approve the engagement, it does not mean that you can try to get a room to yourselves yet." Hiashi snarked and both teens leapt to their feet, blushing furiously.


	13. Journey Of A New Genin

Hiashi looked up at the knock on the door-frame.

"Ah, Naruto." He said, motioning for the blond to enter.

"You sent for me, Hiashi-Dono?"

"I did." Hiashi said. "I have a mission I would like you to take, although I must apologize for the lack of warning. It will last several weeks and starts tomorrow morning. I will pay personally for it and I believe that it will be your first C-rank."

"May I ask what the mission is?" Naruto asked.

"You may." A new voice said and Naruto half-turned.

"Jiji!"

.

* * *

.

Kurenai looked at her team proudly.

"You all packed?" She asked and her three genin nodded.

"I have clothes and supplies for three weeks in two storage scrolls." Hinata said.

"Two weeks, plus stuff for Akamaru." Kiba stated.

"Two weeks." Shino said quietly.

"So, we ready to go?" A new voice called and Kurenai turned.

"Indeed we are, Tazuna-sama."

"Good." The elderly civilian said. "Hang on, I thought I was only getting four of you?"

"Heh, there's _five_ of us." Kiba said, pointing to Akamaru who was perched on his head.

"I wasn't counting the puppy." Tazuna said with a frown. "Who's the blond?"

Team eight stared at him, then turned to see the grinning genin behind them.

"Hey guys." Naruto grinned, tossing a small scroll to Kurenai. "Odd thing, I've got a mission that takes _me_ to Wave as well, so if you don't mind, I'll tag along with you guys. That okay?"

Kurenai opened the mission scroll and scanned it before rolling it up again.

"We'll be glad to have you along." She smiled as she handed the scroll back.

"Cool!" Naruto grinned. "I even stopped by Ichiraku's and filled a scroll with piping hot Ramen for our first evening meal on the road. I remembered your faves and even got a bowl of beef for Akamaru."

"Best tag-along ever!" Kiba cheered. "Whooo!"

.

"There they go." Hiruzen said, concentrating on the image in the crystal sphere. "Their first C-rank mission. At least if something happens, backup will be available."

Hiashi looked up from the sphere with a quizzical expression.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Ah, I don't think it's my secret to tell." Hiruzen smirked, earning an irritated glare from the Hyuuga clan head.

.

"You know, this is my first time actually outside Konoha." Naruto commented as they stepped through the main gate. "I've _looked_ though the gate and across from the top of the walls, but I've never actually _been_ outside the walls… until now. I kinda expected it to feel… different."

Kiba sniggered for an instant before Shino dope-slapped him.

"I also have never departed from the protected environs of Konoha before today." He intoned. "I fully understand Naruto-san's reaction."

"Yeah, yeah." Kiba grumbled. "Akamaru and I've been out here loads. There's some good hunting over there."

"Then let us hope that we are not the ones being hunted." Kurenai stated, before she frowned. "Naruto, why did you just send out a dozen clones?"

"Scouts." Naruto explained. "Between my clones, Hinata-hime's _byakugan_ , Kiba's ears and nose and Shino's Kikkaichu, _no-one_ 's going to get near your client."

"True." Kiba smirked, then he frowned. "Hey, Naruto, just what mission do _you_ have that sends you to Wave? I'm not complaining, it's cool having an army ready to defend us, but what exactly is the mission?"

"Classified." Naruto smirked and Kurenai raised a hand to hide her smile.

"So." Kiba said as the gates of Konoha slowly receded into the background."You fully equipped for this mission too?"

"Four weeks of supplies, enhanced medical kit, reserve currency bundle, backup weapons, tags… yep, I'm ready."

"How?!" Kiba yelped. "That must have cost _loads_!"

"Since I'm no longer paying rent, I now have more money." Naruto shrugged. "That reminds me, when we get back, I'll have to show you my new house, Hinata-chan. It's kinda out of the way, being in a small valley _behind_ the Hokage monument, but it's mine now. It's where I found the picture I showed you."

"I… I'd like that." Hinata murmured with a smile.

"You have a _house_!?" Kiba half-moaned. "I still live with my mom and sis. I gotta start earning more so I can get a den of my own. Sensei, are we allowed to do solo D-ranks?"

"Elite genin like yourself are not encouraged to take solo D-ranks." Kurenai replied. "Among other reasons, independent genin like Naruto need the income."

"Damn." Kiba grumbled. "Well, bud, looks like we gotta stay where we are for now."

Akamaru let out a small whine.

"I know, I know." Kiba sighed, then he brightened up. "Hey, if we defeat any bandits on this mission, will get rewarded for it?"

"We'll need to send them back to Konoha for the reward to be registered." Kurenai said. "That's the reason why we Jonin often carry Prisoner Scrolls, although they can only hold the prisoner for a day or two before they fail."

"Sounds like a project for you, Naruto-kun." Hinata giggled.

.

* * *

.

"Kurenai-sensei," Hinata said as she deactivated her _Byakugan_ , "There are two shinobi hiding in a small hole covered with a _genjutsu_ of a puddle just over the hill. They are wearing horned head-protectors, one with a single horn and one with two."

Kurenai stopped walking and pulled a book out of one of her hidden pockets. She started to leaf through it, then paused before handing it to Hinata.

"Can you find them for me?"

Hinata quickly flicked through the book, then paused. "Here, Sensei!"

"The Demon Brothers Gozu and Meizu, formerly of the Hidden Mist village." Kurenai read. "Individually classified as low to mid-C Rank, when acting together, threat rating is high-B Rank. Taijutsu focus with poison secondary. Reward, 60,000 Ryo each or 150,000 if captured together."

"A hundred and fifty thousand Ryo!" Kiba breathed. "I could buy a _really_ neat den with that!"

"Rewards get split between the party that captures them." Kurenai commented. "Genin get a single share, Chunin get two shares, special Jonin three and full Jonin get four."

"That would grant each of us genin eighteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty ryo while Kurenai-sensei will receive seventy-five thousand." Shino mused.

"What?" Kiba yelped.

"I have an idea." Naruto said with a lopsided grin. "It'll help us gain actual combat experience without the risk."

Hinata's eyes widened in realization.

.

"Here they come." Gozu whispered as the group crested the hill and strolled down the path towards them, the members throwing glances at the nearby woods. "Amateurs."

"Shhhh."

The duo remained silent as the party of six passed by the puddle, then they launched themselves at the unsuspecting group.

"One down!" Meizu gloated as their shuriken-chain wrapped round the dark-haired woman and snapped taut, slicing through her and scattering her remains on the ground. The four genin froze and the duo took advantage of their hesitation to launch a barrage of kunai at their target, the old bridge builder. The kunai slashed through the air and impacted him…  
…causing him to vanish in a cloud of chakra smoke.

"Huh?" Gozu gasped as he froze, shocked by the unexpected turn of events, then the genin were moving. One of them seemed to explode into a cloud of bugs that engulfed the two chunin, blinding them. Gozu felt the chain detach from his brother's gauntlet and was about to follow suit when a new voice spoke, a feminine voice promising pain.

"Eight trigrams: thirty-two palms!"

A barrage of light yet incredibly painful strikes jolted Gozu like he was a puppet being shaken, then he collapsed to the ground, unable to command his muscles to move.

"Gatsuga!"

The swarm of bugs lifted just in time for Gozu to see his brother being hammered into a tree by a swirling drill of chakra, a drill that dissipated to reveal the feral-looking one of the genin group.

"Oh yeah! Bring a crane for they are _down_!"

"Well done." The Jonin's voice said approvingly and Gozu managed to turn his eyes to see a _second_ group approaching, a group identical to the first.

"Huh?" He managed.

"We're _Kage Bunshin_." The feral genin gloated. "I hope you like the fact that you got _owned_ by clones!"

Gozu would have groaned, but the effects of the strikes were too much and he fell into blackness, never seeing the clones vanish in puffs of smoke.

.

"Oh yeah, we _rule_!" Kiba gloated. "Didja see how I slammed him into a tree?"

"You all did very well." Kurenai smiled as her genin finished assimilating the memories that they had received. "However, the actions of our adversaries has raised several questions."

"Like how do we get them back to Konoha for the reward?" Kiba asked.

"You don't need to worry about that." Naruto said reassuringly as he created ten clones which moved to pick up the downed chunin. "My clones can take them back and tell Jiji what we took them down.

"Whoo! Eighteen thousand ryo!" Kiba gloated. "A few more bounties like this and I'll be able to _finally_ move out of mom's house!"

Kurenai smiled at Kiba's happy-dance, then turned to Tazuna.

"Now." She said, storm-clouds seeming to form out of nowhere as she loomed over the alcoholic client. "You will explain to me just what is going on!"

Tazuna whimpered as Kurenai's eyes started leaking fire.

.

"I wonder what they're discussing?" Kiba wondered, looking over to where Tazuna was talking rapidly, but no sound was emerging because of the _genjutsu_ -field that Kurenai had enclosed herself and their client in. "It looks like… what was _that_?"

"What was what?" Hinata asked as she activated her _Byakugan_ while Shino released a swarm of Kikkai.

"It come from the treeline, a sort of flash of light… well, _three_ of them." Kiba mused. "I've never seen anything like it before!"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Naruto said reassuringly. "I'm pretty certain that it was something my clones did."

"Oh." Kiba said as he relaxed. "Okay. Sorry."

"On the contrary, you did good." Naruto replied. "I need to be more careful about using that technique, I didn't realize that the flash was that bright."

"Huh? What technique?"

"We need to move to the next camp-site." Kurenai called as she walked towards them, a guilty-looking Tazuna following her "There are decisions to make, and we need to discuss them."

.

* * *

.

"Man, that _sucks_." Kiba grumbled. "I mean, a whole country being oppressed? We've _gotta_ do something about it!"

"If this Gato has hired one set of nuke-nin to prevent Tazuna-san from completing his project, it is only logical to assume that there will be other obstacles in our path also, obstacles that will be more difficult to overcome." Shino provided. "We will need reinforcements."

"And you will have them." A new, yet familiar voice said.

"Hokage-sama!" Kurenai gasped and Hiruzen held up a hand.

"Only a _Kage Bunshin_ , Kurenai. Now, let me talk to your client."

The team watched as Hiruzen guided Tazuna away and erected a privacy jutsu.

"How the heck did he get here?" Kiba asked in shock, then he turned to Naruto. "And what was with that dozen clones you sent off? Where did they go?"

Naruto simply smirked.

.

"Tazuna has agreed to certain… reparations for attempting to deceive us." Hiruzen stated as he led the shivering civilian back to the campsite. "Continue with your mission, I will have another team moving to reinforce you by tomorrow morning, although it may take a day or so for them to catch up. At your current rate, they'll join you before you reach the shore."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Kurenai said gratefully.

"As the first Jonin on-site, you'll still be in charge." Hiruzen said, fixing her with a stern yet supportive look. "I shall look forwards to reading your report. And yes, the bounty has already been paid into your accounts."

Hiruzen's clone vanished just as Kiba let out a loud _whoop_ of triumph.

"Oh yes! Personal den, here! I! Come!"

"I wonder who Hokage-sama is sending?" Hinata mused thoughtfully as Kiba began another happy-dance.

"As long as they're not super-scary, I don't care." Tazuna quavered.


	14. Technique of A New Genin

"I'm not certain that this'll work." The boatman admitted, looking at the expanded party. "I mean, one person, no problem. Five or six, harder but still just about doable, but _ten_? No. Even if my boat remains _above_ the water, it'll go so slowly that we'll be intercepted no matter what I do."

Asuma frowned and sent a questioning look at Kurenai, who shrugged.

"Anyone got a plan?"

"Yeah, but it involves an S-class secret." Naruto sighed as he pulled out a three-pronged kunai. "Boatman, can you take this to the other side and throw it?"

"That's a _Hiraishin_ kunai!" Asuma gasped. "You know how to do it?"

"Sure do." Naruto nodded. "It's how I got the Demon Brothers back to Konoha, as well as your dad's clone back to us. However, it kinda costs. If my clones do it, it needs three of them to transport one person and they kinda dispel on arrival. Dunno why and I can't stop it, they just go _poof_ , but they get the person there safely. If I'm one of the ones doing it, no dispel. Not a clue why."

"Just when I think I've finally got you figured out, you do something even more troublesome." Shikamaru grumbled. "But I see your plan. You'll create thirty clones and move us all to where the boatman throws the kunai, right?"

"You messed up your maths, Shika." Naruto gloated and the genius frowned for a moment.

"Ten of us… damn. Right,you'll only need twenty- _six_ clones as you'll be part of the trio transporting Hinata."

Everyone stared at him and he shrugged. "What? It's obvious, the way you two keep looking at each other."

"I'll be off then." The boatman said, accepting the blade and tucking it into his tunic.

"So, the Hokage Guard taught it to you then." Asuma stated and Naruto nodded.

"Yep, still failing to get the single-person version down though. Dunno why, you'd think it was an easy step if three clones of the same person can do it, but _nope_! Da-amn, the Yondaime was a genius."

Shikamaru raised a mental eyebrow at the correction which no-one else looked like they had caught.

"So…" He continued to think out loud. "Team ten will someday need a way to knock someone out so that you can supply clones to take them to Konoha… I assume that there's a special cell in T&I where you can simply… _drop_ them off?"

Naruto nodded with a grin and Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome. Ino, you work with plants. I think you may need to start looking at anesthetics and poisons since you have the best access to the source materials."

Ino opened her mouth to protest, then paused as Asuma nodded approvingly.

"Think how well it'll go with your new trap-making skills." Shikamaru added and Ino started to grin.

.

* * *

.

Naruto suddenly looked up from where he was watching Asuma and Shikamaru play Shogi.

"He's thrown it. Who's in the first wave?"

"Kurenai and myself." Asuma stated as he flipped his King over to indicate that he was yielding. "We're Jonin, we'll secure the area. You'd better send a clone with us so it can dispel to give the all-clear."

" _Thirty_ clones then." Naruto sighed, ignoring the triumphant smirk from Shikamaru, who was putting the pieces away in their travel-box. " _Taiju Kage Bunshin_!"

A mass of _pop_ s announced the formation of Naruto's clones and Asuma nodded.

"Nice. Alright, I'm ready. Kurenai-san?"

"I do… I mean, I _am_." Kurenai rapidly corrected herself. "Sorry, I was distracted for a moment, I'm ready now."

A trio of clones surrounded each Jonin, hands stretched out and touching in the Seal of Confrontation, then they vanished in a flash of golden light.

" _That_ 's what I saw!" Kiba shouted in belated recognition. " _That's_ how you sent the Demon Brothers to Konoha!"

The other genin gave Kiba a long look.

"What?"

"You missed the whole conversation?" Ino asked. "What were you…"

"Signal's been given." Naruto interrupted as he joined the two clones beside Hinata. "Everyone stand up and get ready."

.

The group appeared in a rapid-fire series of golden flashes and Tazuna looked round.

"That way, we'll be at my house in another hour or so."

"Naruto, detail three clones to guard Tazuna." Asuma said. "If _anything_ looks out of place, have them take him to Konoha until we decide it's safe to bring him back."

"Understood, Asuma-san." Naruto said as he generated another clone, which joined the two others that had helped him transport Hinata.

"By the way, how do you do it so quickly?" Asuma asked as they set off. "It takes the Hokage Guard almost half a minute to do it and you do it in just a few seconds."

"Most of the delay is them matching and harmonizing their chakra." Naruto shrugged. "Since I'm using clones, I can effectively skip that step since it's _my_ chakra anyway. Means I can do it in just under three seconds, but that's still pretty much useless in a combat scenario."

"Damn useful _outside_ combat, though." Asuma mused. "I mean, get a safe-house outside every city and courier missions'll be done… in a _flash_!"

"Dammit, Naruto." Shikamaru groused. "Do you have _any_ idea just how much this little trick of yors messes up the tactical balance between the Great Five Villages? As soon as word gets out that you can do the _Hiraishin_ , Iwa'll be sending assassins, Kumo'll be fortifying their borders and Mizu's new Mizukage will either demand your hand in marriage as the price of an eternal alliance or join Iwa in sending assassins!"

" _New_ Mizukage?"

"Yeah, my dad mentioned her just before we hauled ass." Shikamaru yawned. "Someone called Terumi Mei, word came in just before… _WHAT THE HELL_!"

Everyone spun to stare at the questioner and Asuma paled.

"Momochi Zabuza."

"Look, we can fight later." Zabuza stated. "I need to get two things straight here. One, the blond can do the _Hiraishin_? I thought that only… wait… shit. You look just like him, except for those whiskers. You're his son, aren't you?"

Everyone stared at the Mist Nukenin and he shrugged.

"What? And kid, you _sure_ about Mei-chan being the Mizukage?"

"I… I… my dad said and…" Shikamaru managed, his eyes fixated on the giant sword slung on Zabuza's back.

"Nara Shikaku, right? Yeah, he'd know for sure, if anyone did." Zabuza mused. "Gato hired me to kill the Bridge Builder, but if what you say is true… kid. Demonstration?"

Three of Naruto's clones surrounded Tazuna and they vanished in a golden flash.

"Shit." Zabuza said. "Okay. Hopefully I won't see you around."

Zabuza vanished in a brief cloud of mist and everyone stared at the empty space before Ino broke the silence.

"What the _hell_ just happened?"

"I… I have no bloody clue." Asuma finally admitted.

"Could he be trying to trick us, make us lower our guard?" Kiba asked and Asuma shook his head.

"Nope. Zabuza's a master of Silent Killing. None of us even suspected he was here before he spoke up, if he'd actually wanted Tazuna dead, we'd probably be looking at the old drunk's severed head by now."

"Thanks for the image, Sensei." Choji muttered, turning slightly green.

"Naruto, if you can go and fetch our client, we'll continue." Asuma said and Naruto grinned, summoning two clones and vanishing in a flash of light.

"He _still_ doesn't get it, does he?" Shikamaru grumbled. "He overturns the entire playing field and doesn't realize it…"

"What are you going on about?" Ino asked as Naruto reappeared with Tazuna.

"That was _weird_." Tazuna stated, giving his ever-present Sake jug a suspicious look. "For a moment, I thought I was back in Konoha. I think the drink's finally getting to me."

The assembled shinobi watched in silence as Tazuna ambled across to the nearest tree and emptied the Sake jug into the earth around it.

"Yup, no more drink for me." He stated. "Okay… why've we stopped? There's a super bridge I need to build. Let's go!"

"Am I the only sane one here?" Ino mourned as she trudged along at the back of the group.

.

Gato stared at the man before him in shock.

The person who had just brought the unwelcome news to him was a former Post-nin, trained in the use of chakra to cover long distances and fighting skills geared towards escape and evasion. However, the reason that the man now known only as Kage was a _former_ Post-nin was that he had chosen to betray the sanctity of the post, reading it and using the information for his own profit until the day when he was discovered.

Gato had promptly hired him, not only as a messenger but also as one of his lieutenants. Anyone who knew the value of information was someone that he wanted for himself and the man's known proclivities gave Gato several levers to control him with.

"Are you certain?" Gato asked and Kage nodded.

"Zabuza has departed, taking his helper with him." He said. "I was able to get close enough to listen in and apparently one of the Genin is the son of a powerful Konoha ninja. Since the _Hiraishin_ was mentioned, I believe that the genin in question is the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato."

Gato slowly grinned. "Head to Iwa. Tell them that in exchange for a team to destroy the bridge and kill the builder, the boy in question will be theirs."

Kage returned Gato's wicked grin, then he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"Soon, Wave will be my permanent fiefdom, a tax-free land of slaves and servants where I rule all and where I can pursue whatever business dealings I wish." Gato gloated, rubbing his hands together. "With my own personal estate as my warehouse and harbour, giving me a secure base ready for infiltrating and subverting the Land of Water, my wealth and power will increase dramatically."

Gato's laughter echoed around his office.

.

* * *

.

"And here we are." Tazuna stated. "Home super home."

The assembled shinobi looked at the house thoughtfully.

"How many spare bedrooms do you have?" Asuma asked.

"Two."

"I know that usually it's by ranks, but should we do a male/female split instead?" Asuma asked, glancing at Kurenai, who nodded slowly.

"…I have a tent in my scrolls and can share with Naruto-kun if you need the room…" Hinata offered, blushing furiously as Ino started to giggle. Kurenai shook her head.

"Hinata…" She sighed, then she laughed. "Okay, I'm actually impressed."

"Never expected that from the shy one of your team." Asuma agreed.

"Sorry, Hinata, but you're with Ino and myself." Kurenai said, trying to sound stern despite the smile playing around the ends of her lips.

"Tsunami!" Tazuna shouted. "We're back, with help!"

"Father?" A female voice responded from inside and a moment later the front door opened. "Hello, I… father, I thought you were only going to get a _single_ team!"

"Ahahahahaaa…" Tazuna laughed self-consciously. "You know, it's a super-funny story…"

"Father! What happened?!"

.

* * *

.

Onoki stared at the photo in his hands, then his eyes rose to meet the fearless gaze of the ninja who had brought it to him.

"So." He growled. "Your employer wants to hire one of our best teams to kill a civilian and destroy a bridge… and in exchange, we get the son of the damned Yondaime?"

Kage nodded.

"Fine." Onoki grumbled. "Head back and tell this… Gato… that the teams will be on their way by tomorrow morning."

Kage bowed and vanished in a swirl of smoke, leaving Onoki frowning at the far wall.

"Gramps?"

Onoki turned his head to fix his grand-daughter with a glare.

"What is it?"

Kurotsuchi closed the side door behind her as she walked across the Audience Chamber to stop in front of Onoki, craning her neck slightly to look at the picture he was holding.

"I was listening in. _That_ 's the son of the Yondaime?"

Onoki nodded.

"Good." Kurotsuchi stated. "Gramps, send me. I'll take down that brat and drag his bleeding carcass back here so our people can rip his techniques away from him."

"Well, you have been training in _Keijugan no Jutsu_ , so you'll be able to get the team there." Onoki mused. "I wasn't looking forwards to making that journey myself…"

"That's because you're _old_ , gramps." Kurotsuchi snorted. "Look, once we've grabbed the brat and blown the bridge, you may as well hand the hat over. I'll grab a team and head out. I'll make sure that dad gets avenged."

"Wait!" Onoki snapped as he grabbed a pen and paper, scribbling down some instructions. "Take this to SOAT command, they'll give you a team to lead."

Kurotsuchi accepted the note, bowed and turned to leave. Onoki watched her stride out and sighed.

"Dammit, be careful. You're the only relative I have left…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOAT stands for Shinjun Oyobi Ansatsu Teisatsu-ta which translates as Infiltration And Assassination Reconnaissance Squad.  
> It's Iwa's version of ANBU, but optimized for missions in other lands.


	15. Discussions Of A New Genin

Inari sulked his way down the stairs to where the new guests were having breakfast. As he heard their laughter and flowing conversations, his anger at their carefree outlook welled up inside him.

Taking a deep breath, Inari lunged forwards to slam open the door and make a dramatic entrance that would force everyone to look at him, but just as he reached the door, it was pulled open from the other side and Inari, deprived of the support of the handle, staggered forwards before landing on his stomach.

"Oh! Hey, this yours?"

Inari felt himself being grabbed by his shirt and lifted into the air.

"Gerroff me!"

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Inari spun round and glowered at the person who had picked him up. The whiskered teen simply grinned down at him.

"He's trying to be emo. That's so _cute_! He's _nowhere_ near what Sasuke can do, he hasn't even got the brooding look down yet, it just looks like depressed pouting. Although I'll give him points for _not_ having hair that looks like a duck's ass."

Inari froze as his plan to show them just how bad his life was shattered.

"Huh?"

"So, Naruto." Another voice said and Inari turned to see that the speaker was a bearded man. "You got the tag to put on the bridge?"

"One for the bridge and already got one on the porch." Naruto nodded. "I can move the old man between the two without having to worry about an ambush. In fact, I may pop back to Konoha and pick up some more tags, put them in strategic places, you know?"

"Not too many more." The man replied, leaving Inari totally confused. "I don't know how many tags are left, but we don't want them to become common knowledge. Despite Zabuza having seen you do that technique, that is."

"What are you talking about?" Inari burst out.

"Ninja stuff." A rough-looking boy with red markings on his cheeks grinned.

"Stuff like heroes?" Inari scoffed, trying to turn the situation into one where he could use the ' _No such things as heroes_ ' speech he'd been saving up.

"Heroes are those who stand up for what they truly believe in." The bearded man said. "Often, they die in the process, but their sacrifice can inspire others to take up the burden and continue on the path that they opened. Others die against impossible odds because no-one stood with them, but even then, they leave a legacy which may one day inspire those who saw what they did.  
"Being a Hero is not something that one should aspire to and being one is a heavy burden indeed, but becoming a Hero is often the result of doing what is needed… of doing what is _right_."

Inari stared at the man in shock.

"Who _are_ you?"

"Ah, yes, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we?" The man smiled. "My name is Sarutobi Asuma, one of the last two survivors of the Twelve Guardian Ninja of the Fire Daimyo before it was re-formed. This beautiful lady is none other that Yuhi Kurenai, the _Genjutsu Mistress_ of Konoha…"

Inari let the introductions flow over him as he fought to understand Asuma's comments about Heroes.

.

"Okay, I think we should sort out rotas." Asuma said after everyone had finished breakfast. "Kurenai?"

"Asuma and I discussed this last night and we both believe that Gato will not give up his attempts to destroy the bridge or kill Tazuna." Kurenai stated. "As such, we need to consider what steps he will take.  
"The most likely option is a strike aimed at Tazuna, which is why three clones of Naruto will always be by his side. Should any threat appear, Tazuna can be removed to safety at once, thus freeing us from the need to protect him.  
"Similarly, it is likely that Gato will seek to use Tsunami and Inari as hostages. Therefore, Naruto will provide another six clones to watch over them, but we will need extra guards to buy the handful of seconds needed. Therefore, teams will alternate between bridge duty and guarding Tsunami and Inari with us swapping at lunchtime, when Tazuna returns to the house."

"You will all wear these under your clothes." Asuma stated, passing metal tags to all the genin except for Naruto and Hinata. "If you go down, as long as you are wearing these, Naruto can get you. You will return them after the mission is over."

"Why isn't Hinata getting one?" Ino asked as she pulled out a piece of string and used the two holes at the top of the tag to thread the string through, making it into a necklace.

"I… already have one." Hinata said quietly, throwing a smile across to Naruto, who returned it. "Naruto-kun gave it to me…"

"Naruto- _kun_?" Ino pounced. "Ooooooh, you've been holding out on me, Hinata! We are _so_ going to have some gossip tonight! How can I keep my position of gossip-queen of Konoha if you try to hide things from me?"

Hinata gave Naruto a pleading look and Shikamaru sighed.

"Ino, please stop being so troublesome. Your inquisition can wait until we finish this mission and are heading back to Konoha."

Hinata's look of imminent panic abated slightly as Ino nodded slowly.

"Fine." She sighed.

"So, Kurenai, do you want your team to do the bridge or the house first?"

"Ooh! I want the house!" Ino shouted. "I've been reading up on traps and I _really_ want to set some up this morning!"

"I'll leave a couple more clones to help you, if you want." Naruto offered and Ino nodded, then grinned wickedly.

"Hinata, if you let him slip through your fingers, I'll gladly take him."

Naruto _oof_ ed as Hinata seemed to teleport across the room and into his lap.

"Wow." Ino gaped. "That is one _heck_ of a protective instinct you have there."

Hinata hid her blush against Naruto's shoulder.

.

* * *

.

"Whoah." Kiba breathed as the scale of the bridge became obvious. "That is one _hell_ of a big bridge."

"That it is." Kurenai agreed as she hefted the tri-blade kunai that Naruto had given her, then threw it at the point where the bridge met the island. The blade penetrated into the road and quivered for a few seconds, then Tazuna appeared in a golden flash, surrounded by three Narutos, two of whom promptly vanished in clouds of chakra smoke.

"Whoah," Naruto managed. "That's a _big_ bridge."

"You got that right." Kiba smirked.

"It's going to be the most super bridge ever once it's completed!" Tazuna stated with pride.

.

* * *

.

The thin disk of stone sliced through the air over a kilometre above the ground scrolling past far below. Sat at the center was the one responsible for its ability to defy gravity while around the technique user, eight masked ninja sat, carefully spaced as to not unbalance the disc.

.

* * *

.

"Someone pass me up the end of the wire!" Ino called.

"Here!" Inari replied as he picked up the small stone that the wire in question was tied to and hurled it up so that Ino could grab it. A moment later, the now-detached stone dropped down, then Ino landed on the ground.

"And _done_!" She proclaimed, looking up at the kunai launcher nestled in the branches. "If someone triggers that, they'll not only have to deal with a dozen blades slicing towards them, it'll also sound an alarm."

Inari squinted at the device, then his eyes widened as he saw the four metal discs balanced against the back where the recoil from the launching kunai would dislodge them, causing them to fall to the ground.

"Those discs?"

"Make very loud _clang_ s when they land." Ino smirked. "I introduced Yoshino to it and she helped me set some up in Shikamaru's bedroom to wake him up early."

"And it was _troublesome_." Shikamaru grumped from behind them. "It took me almost a week to learn wall-walking just so I could deactivate that damned device."

"We put it in the rafters of his room." Ino explained in a loud whisper and Shikamaru frowned as Inari giggled.

"I've got the warning stakes!" Choji called as he lumbered up and Shikamaru took the first of the painted markers before hammering it into the ground so that only a handspan showed above the grass.

"Remember to stay on _this_ side of the markers." Ino noted and Inari nodded, glancing round at the now-heavily-trapped trees, traps which Ino had decided that he should help set up so that he didn't have a chance to sulk.

"What about the path?" Inari asked.

"Sensei's placed several alarm tags along it." Choji supplied as he handed Shikamaru another stake. "He'll key Kurenai-san into them when she returns so that they'll both know if anyone's trying to get to the house."

"Wow." Inari breathed.

.

"Fish!" Naruto called as he led a parade of clones up the pillars of the bridge, the clones holding several nets bulging with still-flapping fish. "Get your fish here!"

"How?" One of the workers asked. "Gato has boats all over the place to sink anyone trying to fish so that only he can provide food."

"About that…" Naruto grinned as he pointed down. "Do you want some new boats?"

The workers dashed en-masse to the railing and stared down at the two-dozen small boats being tethered to the bridge pillars, boats which had their original crews tied and gagged on the deck.

"Odd thing." Naruto grinned. "Those guys weren't prepared for a dozen clones to appear on their ships using _shunshin_ and were easily subdued. I only lost fifteen clones all told."

"You took out Gato's blockade?" Tazuna gasped as he joined the workers.

"Well, the blockade on _this_ side, yep." Naruto laughed. You know, if you have anyone who knows where Gato's ships are kept, I could probaby sneak aboard and take them from him."

"We'll keep that in mind, but I'd insist that you have either myself or Asuma-ku… _san_ along with you." Kurenai said as she leaned over the balcony to look at the captives below.

"So, what do we do with them?" Naruto said with a shrug. "I mean, we could always kill them, but that'd be such a _Gato_ thing to do…"

Several of the workers closed their mouths, their suggestions left unspoken.

"We have an old quarry that hasn't been used in over a decade." Tazuna mused. "It has steep sides and only one way out… I think it'll suffice as a prison if we build a wall around the top of the ramp."

A rumble of agreement met his idea.

"I can help with that." Naruto grinned. "Kakashi-sempai helped me to learn a technique to raise walls after I helped him test his team."

"Search and bring our new prisoners!" Tazuna shouted. "Kid, you're with me, I'll show you where the quarry is."

"You know," A voice from the crowd gloated, "If this kid keeps grabbing Gato's men, he won't have any left to protect him when we decide to after him for what he's done!"

"Keep grabbing his men, kid!" Another voice cheered.

"Kid?" Naruto mock-huffed. "The name's Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Let's hear it for Naruto!" The first voice shouted. "Na-Ru-To! Na-Ru-To!"

" **Na-Ru-To! Na-Ru-To! Na-Ru-To! Na-Ru-To!"**

As the chant grew, Naruto blushed slightly, then felt Hinata place her hand on his shoulder.

"I always knew that you were a hero." She whispered to him and Naruto smiled.

"Okay, folks!" He shouted and the crowd quietened down. "Some of you take the fish back to the village and make sure everyone gets some, the rest of you, let's put these creeps away!"

The cheering was so loud that Kurenai momentarily wondered if Gato had heard it from his mansion.

.

* * *

.

The stone disc descended in the gathering dusk, coming to a gentle touchdown as Gato stepped out of the front door of his mansion.

"That was fast." He said as eight of the figures unfolded themselves from their seated poses and straightened up while the ninth one sagged.

"Gato-san." One of the masked Shinobi said. "We request overnight quarters so that our leader can recover from the energy she expended to allow us to travel here."

Gato looked at Kage.

"I believe that one of the barracks is still empty, sir." The former Post-nin said, correctly predicting his command. "I shall escort these honored shinobi there and see about providing sustenance for them as well so that they are in top form tomorrow."

Gato smirked.

"Excellent."

.

A quintet of flashes lit the porch briefly, and Tazuna blinked.

"Hey." He said, pointing to Hinata and the three Naruto's surrounding her. "How come the kid's clones came with her when the others just sent us?"

"It's more complicated than that." Kurenai said as she knocked on the door. "Naruto?"

Naruto dispelled his two remaining clones and grinned.

"My clones dispel on arrival, unless I'm part of the ring." He said. "My teachers and I still don't know why, but I hear that they're using the same technique now as well."

"This is not very reassuring..." Tazuna mumbled.

"It works." Naruto shrugged as the door was opened by Choji.


	16. Perils Of A New Genin

Gato looked up from his breakfast as one of the Iwa shinobi appeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Gato-san." The shinobi said in a voice that managed to give away nothing about the Shinobi behind the mask. "We are almost prepared to move out to neutralize the Konoha squad and destroy the bridge."

"Excellent." Gato almost purred. "I shall gather my men and start towards the village at noon to re-assert my control. Will you be finished by then?"

The masked shinobi nodded, then vanished in another cloud of quickly-dissipating smoke.

"Soon, all of Wave will be mine to command and no-one shall dare raise their hand against me." Gato gloated.

.

" _Shinjun Oyobi Ansatsu Teisatsu-ta_ are ready to move out, Kurotsuchi-san." The first masked man said and Kurotsuchi nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent." She said, pulling out a map. "The house is _here_ and the bridge _here_ , so we'll head to this point. Squad one under Kakogan will then travel to the bridge and covertly place explosives to take it down. Once that is done, they shall move to reinforce Squad three. Squad two under Sekkaigan will go to the house and kill everyone there while group three under myself will engage and kill the Bridge Builder and any Konoha-nin at the bridge, except for our target, Uzumaki. He is to be kept alive. Note that I do not say _anything_ about him retaining the use of his limbs."

A sense of predatorial hunger briefly infused the atmosphere of the room.

"Today, we finally get our revenge against the Yellow Flash of Konoha." Kurotsuchi growled as she rolled up the map and returned it to its storage scroll. "SOAT, move out!"

Three seconds later, the room was empty.

.

* * *

.

Four flashes of light marked the appearance of Team 8 at the bridge. For a moment, they all remained motionless, then Hinata placed a hand on the necklace that she wore and Tazuna appeared beside her, surrounded by three Narutos.

"We're clear, Tazuna-san." Kurenai reported as a wave of bugs emerged from Shino's coat and flew outwards towards the woods. "Nothing dangerous in the range of Hinata's _byakugan_ and my other two genin don't detect anything dangerous."

"Thanks." Tazuna sighed as he spotted the first few members of his workforce appearing. "Okay, time to keep building!"

.

"What the _fuck_?" Kurotsuchi swore as she collapsed her telescope and clambered down from the top of the tree. As she landed, she looked at the five SOAT members waiting for her.

"The Uzumaki just transported himself, the civilian and a genin team via _Hiraishin_." She snarled. "I guess that proves beyond all doubt that he's the Yellow Flash's son, no-one else would know that technique. We need to change plans."

Several of the SOAT operatives shifted slightly.

"We need to disable him as quickly as possible so that he can't escape." Kurotsuchi explained. "There's a great deal of undergrowth to the right, so we'll use it and chakra-suppression to get as close as possible before we attack. Genbugan, you use your _Iwa Bunshins_ to engage the genin while you and Choseki engage the Jonin-sensei. The rest of you will help me charge the Uzumaki and take him down _hard_. If you can kill the civilian during the attack, do so."

The shinobi nodded.

"Then let's move out."

.

Hinata activated her _Byakugan_ for another quick scan of the surrounding area and froze.

"Hinata?" Kurenai asked, catching the girl's reaction.

"Shinobi… five… no, _six_ of them, coming in from the east through the undergrowth." Hinata whispered and Kurenai cursed under her breath.

"How strong are they?"

"I think… Jonin?" Hinata managed and Kurenai inhaled sharply.

"Shit. Go to Naruto, tell him to get the old man the hell out of here and see if he can get us some reinforcements." She snapped. Hinata nodded and scampered off to where Naruto and several clones were standing near Tazuna.

.

"Okay… we're almost in position…" Kurotsuchi whispered, then a sudden flash of yellow light illuminated the edge of the bridge.

"Fuck!" She shouted. "Attack! Kill the fucking leaf-nin!"

Kurotsuchi and her team almost exploded out of the undergrowth and leapt onto the bridge, kunai already leaving their hands as the civilian workers dived for cover.

"That one's a Hyuuga! An unsealed one!" Genbugan shouted and Kurotsuchi glanced at where he was pointed.

"Seize her!" She commanded. "At the very least, Iwa will gain one of the great _Dojutsu_!"

.

"Wha…?" Inari yelped as three of Naruto's clones grabbed him and vanished an instant later. Another flash from inside the house marked Tsunami's forcible relocation as well.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as he rose from where he was playing Shogi against Asuma. "Naruto must have detected an enemy."

"Agreed." Asuma said as he pulled out his trench knives. "Everyone, be alert!"

 _Twang_!

Ino smirked as a screaming figure briefly appeared above the treetops before arcing back down to the unforgiving ground.

"At least we know where _one_ of them is." Asuma said after a long moment.

 _Twoing_!

.

"Seize her!" The leader of the rapidly approaching attackers commanded and Hinata gasped as long-repressed memories of being helpless in the arms of the kidnapper from Kumo surfaced. "At the very least, Iwa will gain one of the great Dojutsu!"

Hinata stepped back, raising her arms in a defensive posture, but the attackers were Jonin and deep in her heart, she knew that she didn't stand a chance.

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

Two of the attackers were blasted sideways by a pair of somehow familiar green blurs which were followed by a rain of Kunai, then a familiar figure stepped up to Hinata's side.

"Neji-nii-san!"

"Hinata-sama." Neji replied calmly. "Naruto-san came to us, offering an impromptu exercise and Gai-Sensei decided it would be good training."

"Yosh!"

Hinata blinked, then turned to look at where the duo of green blurs were engaging all six attackers in battle, the sounds of punches and kicks coming so rapidly that they sounded almost like a constant impact.

"Yaaaa!"

"Eight trigrams: Sixty four palms!" Hinata and Neji shouted in unison as their hands blurred. The unmasked kunoichi trying to attack them shuddered as the strikes closed down her chakra system.

"Yosh!" Lee shouted as his spinning kick shattered one of the ninja, reducing it to a pile of stone. "Gai-sensei! Our adversaries seem to be using some sort of unyouthful rock-based clone!"

"That is the _Iwa Bunshin_ , my student!" Gai shouted back as he grabbed one of the remaining shinobi and used him like a club, slamming a second one into the air. "Strike them hard enough and they shatter like the log I had you practice the Lotus on!"

The last shinobi fell over, having been punched by both green-clad ninja at the same time and the two Leaf Nin looked at each other.

"That was an excellent workout, Gai-sensei!"

"Indeed it was, Lee-kun!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee-kun!"

Hinata found herself being pulled so she was facing away from the pair, then the world seemed to light up behind them.

"AAAAARGH! MY EYES!" Kiba screamed.

"This is… disconcerting." Shino stated.

Hinata gave Neji a quizzical look.

"Sunset Genjutsu."

.

A battered, scorched and generally disheveled figure staggered out of the treeline and collapsed.

"Ino, can you bring him over here?" Asuma asked and Ino nodded before flashing through a sequence of hand-seals.

" _Shintenshin no Jutsu_."

Choji caught Ino as she collapsed, then the prone shinobi slowly pulled himself to his feet and staggered forwards.

"Damn, this guy was got good." He said as he shed his mask and cloak. "I'm better at traps than I thought."

"Hold still." Asuma commanded as his hands flickered over the shinobi's body, removing weapon pouches and concealed weapons before pulling out a scroll which he unrolled. A puff of chakra later, he held a set of restraints in his hands, which he placed on the shinobi.

"Okay, you can go back now." He said and the Iwa shinobi collapsed. A moment later, Ino opened her eyes and let Choji set her back on her feet.

"Iwa nin normally deploy in trios." Asuma said thoughtfully, looking at the line of booby-trapped trees. "There's probably two more of them still out there. Stay on guard, just in case."

"Hai, sensei!" His Genin responded.

.

"I think we're safe now." Kurenai said as she watched Lee and Gai finish tying up the Iwa shinobi while still declaiming their attachment to how youthful things were. "Hinata, can you bring Naruto back now?"

Hinata touched her necklace and an instant later, three Narutos flashed into existence beside her.

"Inari and Tsunami are safe as well." Naruto reported. "So… who were these guys?"

"Iwa shinobi." A new voice called and everyone turned to see Asuma approaching. He drew up to them and pulled out three prisoner scrolls.

"So, we got… _nine_ of them? Wow. If you seal these ones up, Naruto can take them back to Konoha so that we can get our portions of the bounties on them."

"Nine enemy shinobi." Kiba smirked. "That's a _lot_ of dosh!"

"Which will be divided into twenty-two portions with Kurenai-sensei, Asuma-san and Gai-san receiving four portions each." Shino calculated. "Assuming that each of the nine was worth ten thousand Ryo each, each genin's portion of the total would be approximately four hundred and nine ryo while each Jonin would receive sixteen thousand, three hundred and sixty three ryo."

"Dammit." Kiba cursed. "We got more from our share of the Demon Brothers!"

"Actually, I think that you'll be getting a _bit_ more than that." Asuma said slowly as he leafed through a Bingo Book that he had pulled out of his pocket. "That's Kurotsuchi, the grand-daughter of the Tsuchikage. I think we'll get a reclamation bounty of at least half a million Ryo for her from Iwa even if Iwa's the only one paying out."

Kiba's pout turned into a wide grin and he turned to look at Shino.

"Twenty-six thousand, three hundred for each genin and a hundred and five thousand for each Jonin."

"I'll get a new den with that and what I already have!" Kiba exulted. "Ya hear that, Akamaru? We're gonna get our own den!"

"Actually, you aren't." A new voice said and everyone turned to see Gato advancing towards them from the end of the bridge, a large crowd of mercenaries behind him. "Now, if you turn over the Iwa nin to me, as well as Tazuna, then I might let you live. Otherwise, you're going to die and I'll claim the rewards on you."

"Well, my head is worth thirty-five million." Asuma mused with a smirk. "But there's no way I'm going to let you claim it."

"And we're not letting you kill the old man." Kiba snarled.

"Oh, really." Gato sneered as the first two ranks of mercenaries behind him lifted crossbows into firing positions.

" _Futon: Daitoppa_!" Naruto shouted and a massive wind blast slammed into the mercenaries, toppling the first few ranks like skittles while Gato was sent somersaulting into the air. Several of the crossbows triggered and the quarrels rose high into the air before succumbing to gravity and dropping back down, hitting several of the would-be attackers.

"Kill them!" Gato squealed as he grabbed the bolt sticking out of his shoulder. "They hurt me! I want them dead! I want the men torn to shreds and fed to the pigs! I want the women raped to death! Kill them a- _glrk_!"

Gato froze, then he fell backwards, the arrow that had smashed into his forehead sticking out like a truncated flagpole.

"Good shot, Inari!" Naruto's voice came from behind the assembled ninja and everyone turned to see another Naruto standing beside a crossbow-armed Inari, both at the head of a large mob of villagers.

"What?" the clone shrugged. "Boss brought them all into town at Inari's request, he pointed out that you might need reinforcements."

"Yosh, that is a most youthful decision!" Gai proclaimed as he flexed his fingers, causing his knuckles to crack. "Now, what shall we do about these most unyouthful brigands who still remain?"

The sentence was enough to break the spell of paralysis that had settled over the mercenaries and almost as one, they turned and fled, running down the bridge in an attempt to reach the ships that they had used to arrive on.

"Oh, we're _good_." Kiba gloated.


	17. Fame Of A New Genin

"Do you _have_ to leave?" Inari sniffled as Ino hugged him.

"Yeah, we need to go back to Konoha." Ino said with a small, tearful smile of her own. "But I'll ask Naruto-san to bring me back at least every other month to visit."

"I'll only charge it as a D-rank." Naruto half-joked, earning a glare from both Inari and Ino. "What, I'm an independent genin, remember? I don't get the team support that you do, I need to _earn_ money to _pay_ for my training."

Ino sighed as she finally released Inari and ruffled his hair, eliciting an annoyed protest.

"You know, the Chunin Exams are coming up in about three months." Naruto mused. "I suppose I could accept a mission to come and bring you over to cheer Ino on…"

"Yeah!" Inari shouted with glee, then he sighed. "But I don't want you to go…"

"We have to." Ino said gently. "Other people need our help too, you know. It wouldn't be right to deny it to them."

Inari let out a huge sigh, then stepped back and glanced behind Ino at the bridge that linked the Land of Waves to the Land of Fire.

"Come on." Kurenai said as Asuma stood beside her. "Let's go."

"Come back soon!" Inari called to the departing Ino, who smiled as she waved back at him.

"Far be it for anything to separate you from your toyboy." Kiba laughed. "Ow!"

"You take that back!" Ino snarled. "He's a friend! That's all! I just… _helped_ him get over a few issues of his. All of us Yamanaka are trained in psychology, after all."

"I was just kidding." Kiba grumbled, rubbing at his head where Ino had hit him.

"Don't." Ino commanded, managing to make her young voice sound somewhat authoritarian.

"Once we get across to the other end of the bridge and place the tag, can you _jump_ us back to Konoha?" Kurenai asked and Naruto nodded.

"Wait!" Hinata half-shouted. "Your mission, the one that sent you to Wave alongside us…"

"Pretty much complete, Hinata-hime." Naruto smiled. "Don't worry about it."

Hinata gave him a long, suspicious look. "Just _what_ was your mission, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gave Hinata an innocent smile, causing her frown to deepen.

"You can worry about that later, Hinata." Kurenai laughed.

.

"I'll miss them." Inari sighed as he watched the group of ninja vanish into the mist covering the bridge. "Ino and her dad really helped me."

"You do seem happier since Naruto brought us back from Konoha." Tsunami agreed, then she turned to glance at her father.

"So, have you decided what to name the bridge?"

"The Super Awesome Bridge That Tazuna Built?"

A long silence was his only response and he sagged. "It was worth a try."

"How about… the Bridge of New Hope?" Tsunami suggested. "I mean, the bridge _did_ help us regain our hope and our freedom as well."

"The Bridge of New Hope…" Tazuna mused. "That would work. Now all we need do is build the outposts for the Leaf Ninja who'll be stationed here to help collect the tithes from the traders who'll soon be coming through."

"…what _exactly_ did you promise to get them to help?" Tsunami asked suspiciously.

.

* * *

.

"Ah, welcome back teams eight and ten." Hiruzen smiled. "And Naruto, congratulations on completing your first solo C-rank."

"Thanks, Hokage-jiji, but it's not _quite_ complete yet." Naruto grinned back, causing several of the genin to stare at him in shock and confusion.

"Now, I've had the rewards for the prisoners that Team Gai returned with put into your accounts and you've done very well out of them." Hiruzen continued. "Especially when we discovered that one of their primary missions was to kidnap _you_ , Naruto."

"As long as I can escape for five seconds, I can escape anything." Naruto stated.

"Indeed you can." Hiruzen agreed. "I've already sent a message to the Tsuchikage invoking the usual trade-back agreements for his ninja… did you know that eight of them were members of SOAT? That's Iwa's equivalent of our ANBU, albeit used more for missions outside the Land of Earth."

"Whoah." Kiba breathed. "We took out some of Iwa's elite? We _rock_!"

"A crude, but not inaccurate summation." Shino added.

"And I am proud of you all." Hiruzen agreed. "Now, Kurenai, since you were Lead Jonin for this, please start the report."

"Of course, Lord Hokage." Kurenai said with a slight bow. "Our mission started off with the addition of an extra member, Genin Uzumaki Naruto whose mission was to ensure that Hinata was not kidnapped by those desiring her _byakugan_ …"

Hinata gave Naruto a wide-eyed stare, then she smiled at him.

… … …

"…and then Naruto brought us back." Kurenai finished. "I feel that I must commend Yamanaka Ino of Team Ten for taking on an extra duty in providing psychological counselling for Inari."

"I'm a Yamanaka." Ino said with an embarrassed shrug. "It's kinda what we do, you know?"

"That and gossip." Shikamaru snarked, reflexively ducking the dope-slap Ino unleashed at him.

"Anyway." Kurenai said firmly, sending a quelling glance at the two genin, "I can confirm the mission was a success."

"Excellent." Hiruzen smiled. "Naruto, just so you know, you still have to escort Hinata home for your mission to count as complete."

Naruto nodded and offered his arm to Hinata.

"My lady?"

With a giggle, Hinata accepted his arm.

"If you will pardon us, Lord Hokage, Kurenai-Sensei?" Naruto continued, getting amused nods from the two adults. "Then I shall escort this princess back to her family."

"That was _so_ romantic." Ino breathed as the door closed behind the duo.

"Perhaps you can train your boytoy to do that for you. Ow!"

"Shut it, mutt!" Ino snapped before remembering where she was. "Ah! Errrrrrrr… oops?"

.

"So, your entire mission was to keep me safe?" Hinata asked as they exited the tower, her hand still tucked into his elbow.

"Yep." Naruto confirmed. "Your father asked me to do it."

Hinata _hmmmm_ 'd contentedly as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"Once this is over, do you want to see my new house?" Naruto asked and Hinata nodded.

"I'd like that." She murmured.

.

"So, anything else to report?" Hiruzen asked after the other genin had all departed.

"Nothing that wasn't either covered in my verbal report or in the written one I handed in, Hokage-sama." Kurenai replied.

"Same here, pops." Asuma shrugged. "Ino's getting almost _vicious_ with her traps, she's started to include paralytics in them. I told her not to use actual poisons as there's always a chance of a friendly triggering the trap and lethal traps are something you should only use when you _know_ that there aren't any friendlies in the area."

"I've noticed that Shikamaru has bulked up a bit." Hiruzen added and Asuma laughed.

"Yep. It's those weekly spars against _Op-force Uzumaki_. He needs to keep in shape otherwise Naruto humiliates him, then sends a report to his mother on how badly he did!"

Hiruzen chuckled. "He certainly knows how to motivate people, doesn't he?"

"He does." Asuma agreed. "In fact, I'd suggest that he be marked as being a high-probability prospect for promotion to chunin sometime in the next two years, if not sooner."

"When he demonstrated the _Hiraishin_ for me, I decided that his eventual promotion was assured." Hiruzen agreed. "I've already sent out a message to Jiraiya for him to come back. Once Naruto learns the _Rasengan_ and Jiraiya has a chance to test him, I'll find an excuse to promote him."

"Huh." Asuma mused. "Okay, I hadn't expected that, but… okay."

"I think it's almost overdue." Kurenai smiled."I look forwards to seeing him in a chunin vest."

"Means he'll be able to charge more for providing his nickname." Asuma commented.

.

"Lord Hiashi." Naruto bowed.

"Father." Hinata said in greeting.

"Hinata-chan. Naruto-san." Hiashi replied. "I assume the missions were a success?"

"On country freed and permanently allied to Konoha, one tyrant defeated and Hinata took down the grand-daughter of the Tsuchikage!"

"Neji-san helped." Hinata protested.

"And the resulting boost to the Hyuuga coffers is appreciated." Hiashi agreed, then he caught Naruto's puzzled expression.

"It is traditional for a portion of all mission pay, three-quarters in the case of the Hyuuga Clan, to be given to the clan by active shinobi. In exchange, the clan provides food, shelter and the other services which a shinobi living by themselves would otherwise be forced to waste time doing rather than training or taking more missions."

"Kiba was going on about getting a private den for himself…" Naruto mused and Hiashi gave a slight shrug.

"The Inuzuka, since they are more independent, tend to only take a tenth of what their members earn." Hiashi said. "Of course, their houses are built along different lines to ours, being sturdier, but less… polished."

"Speaking of houses," Naruto said slowly, "Do I have your permission to show Hinata my new house?"

"May I see it too?" Hiashi asked. "If it is the house I believe it to be, I have only seen it once before."

Naruto nodded. "My next request would have been for a chaperone, I don't think I can get one much better than Hinata's father and the Hyuuga Clan Head."

Hinata stared in shock as her father briefly smiled.

"Indeed not. So, I assume that you will use _Hiraishin_ to transport us there, but what about the return journey?"

Naruto pulled out a small metal tag. "This is the one that Asuma-san was carrying during our mission. If you put it in your study for now, I can send you back whenever you want. In fact, having the tag in a small and otherwise unused room would be quite useful if I need to get Hinata back quickly."

"I will make the arrangements." Hiashi said as he accepted the tag. "Wait here."

"Damn, he scares me." Naruto whispered after Hiashi had vanished. "I mean, he's an _elite Jonin_ and I'm still just a _genin_ , and one dating his daughter! I'm amazed he hasn't threatened me with a sword or something."

"I believe you to be honorable enough that I do not need to." Hiashi said from behind them, causing both genin to jump in shock. "I am ready, shall we go?"

.

* * *

.

Hinata lay down on her bed with a content smile on her face. Although Naruto's house was rather small by the standards that she was used to, having only one bedroom, it was located in a small valley filled with dozens of different types of flowers, several of which she had never seen before, only read about in books and scrolls.

The house itself had been surprisingly clean, especially given its open-plan nature, and the cupboards well stocked with vegetables and, to Hinata's pleased surprise, a few freshly-baked cinnamon buns baked by Naruto's clones and fresh out of the oven.

Hinata looked forwards to the day when she could join Naruto in his house, although she would have to ask if she could learn the _Hiraishin_ as well due to how out-of-the-way it was.

Hinata closed her eyes and was soon dreaming peacefully of eating cinnamon buns while sitting in Naruto's lap in the middle of a field of ever-changing flowers.

.

* * *

.

"FUUUUUUUUCK!"

"Tsuchikage-sama?" Akutsuchi asked worriedly as he barreled into the office, his gaze darting round looking for whatever had enraged his leader.

"Get to the treasury." Onoki snarled, waving a message scroll in the air. "My grand-daughter not only failed her mission, she and her _entire_ team were captured by the very ninja she intended to kill, and apparently none of _them_ took any serious injuries!"

Akatsuchi gaped at his diminutive boss in shock.

"What?"

"We need the ransoms for them." Onoki growled, jumping out of his chair and stalking around the office. "And get me the shinobi in charge of the Bingo Books! I want the son of the Yondaime to be in the next issue! If he thinks that he can… _Arrrgh_! My back!"

Akatsuchi backed out of the office slowly and turned to run to the mission room. Once he found out exactly _who_ had been on the mission, he could then visit the records office to pull up their files and find the pre-agreed ransom levels for those of them in Konoha's Bingo Book.

He hoped that the mission hadn't included any of the elite since they would be _really_ expensive to get back.


	18. The Political Shifts

The door to Hiruzen's office opened and three people filed in.

"Homura, Koharu, Danzo." Hiruzen said. The three nodded back, then sat down.

"Hiruzen… my sources tell me that the Jinchuuriki has learned one of the two techniques of the Yondaime." Homura began, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "Is this… wise? It increases the chance that the Jinchuuriki might choose to defect."

" _The Jinchuuriki_ has a name." Hiruzen half-growled. "Use it."

"If Uzumaki Naruto decides to defect, it wil be difficult to stop him." Koharu said."Perhaps… a covertly-applied tracking seal should be applied so that we can locate him whe… _should_ he choose to run."

Hiruzen raised a mental eyebrow at Homura's obvious self-correction.

"And what would such a tracking seal entail?" Hiruzen mused. "After all, having anything that can be activated remotely could be a considerable liability on the battlefield."

"The details still need to be worked out fully…" Kohura began, only to stop as Hiruzen slammed his palm on his desk.

"Details?" Hiruzen repeated angrily. "You mean that you've already come up with a seal and a plan to apply it, don't you?"

Although his former team-mates had almost perfect control over their expressions, Hiruzen had the advantage of learning how to read them in a combat situation. Not for nothing had those who survived combat against Team Tobirama spoke with awe about the trio's near-telepathic ability to work as one.

And now, the same abilities allowed Hiruzen to see the direction of his team-mates thoughts.

"You will not apply any seals to Uzumaki Naruto." Hiruzen growled. "Remember, it is the seal on his stomach that prevents the Kyuubi from breaking free and destroying Konoha. What would happen if the seal _you_ wish to apply disrupts _that_ seal?"

"The seal is perfectly safe…" Danzo interjected and Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.

"Ah, so now we get the _root_ of the matter."

Danzo went expressionless at the emphasis placed on the word _root_ and Hiruzen hid a smirk.

"I know that you believe that obedience is a good _foundation_ for shinobi…" He continued, catching the twitch that betrayed Danzo's hidden wince, "But let us speak clearly. You want, once again, to turn Naruto into a weapon and nothing more. You hope to allow Danzo to apprentice him, which will put him in a position to not only turn Naruto into an unthinking automaton, but also to finally get your hands on the _Hiraishin_ for your own ends."

Koharu opened his mouth to protest, only to close it again as Hiruzen leaked enough Killing Intent to warn him against saying anything.

"As it happens, there is already an Apprenticeship lined up for Naruto. Jiraiya will soon be returning to teach him, so if you think that you can take on both an enraged Toad Sage _and_ myself, feel free to try your plan."

For a long moment, the atmosphere in the office was heavy with unspoken threats, then Danzo used his cane to pull himself to his feet.

"We shall take no action." He said, leaving _'at this time'_ unspoken but clearly heard. "You have heard our concerns and I believe you will do what you think is best for Konoha."

Hiruzen noted the specific phrasing of Danzo's apparent acquiesance to his will, especially the way that he was subtly casting doubt on whether Hiruzen's actions _were_ actually good for Konoha.

"I believe that this covers the main part of what I wished to bring to your attention," Danzo continued, "So with your permission, I will depart."

Hiruzen nodded and Danzo made his way out of the office, leaving Koharu and Homura behind.

"So." Hiruzen said pleasantly. "What other matters did you wish to bring to my attention?"

The two advisers exchanged glances before Homura spoke.

"Well, with confirmation that Uchiha Sasuke has activated his sharingan, we feel that it may be wise to harvest some of his sperm to aid in rebuilding the Uchiha Clan via artificial insemination…"

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.

.

* * *

.

"Zabuza. Haku."

"Mei-sama." The Swordsman replied with a bow, then he pulled out a scroll. "I come bearing a gift."

"You bring me the nicest things." Terumi Mei purred as she recognized the scroll as one for holding prisoners.

Zabuza unrolled it and applied chakra, causing a body to materialize in a cloud of smoke and slam headfirst into the ground, cursing.

"That fucking hurt!" The new arrival half-shouted as he pulled himself to his feet and glared at the bandaged swordsman. "You slam me onto the scroll and then drop me onto the ground headfirst? Why would you even _do_ that?"

"To bring you to _me_ , obviously. Zabuza, please introduce us." Mei said and the white-haired teen froze before slowly turning round. As he took in Mei's robes and hat, his eyes widened and he whimpered.

"Suigetsu, meet the Mizukage Terumi Mei. Mei, this is Hozuki Suigetsu, the younger brother of my former comrade Mangetsu."

"Hi!" Suigetsu squeaked.

"Haku and I had to fight off a snatch squad from Sound who were trying to capture him." Zabuza continued. "If he's anything like his brother, he'll make a good swordsman. From what I saw, he's already learned most of the basics."

Mei looked at the cringing Suigetsu, then at Zabuza with the Kubikiribocho across his back, then at Haku who had the Nuibari sheathed so that its handle was above his right shoulder.

"I was thinking that once I'd got him up to speed, I'd let him train with the _Shibuki_." Zabuza continued and Suigetsu froze. "Of course, he's learned to fear Haku, so I believe that he'll be loyal."

Suigetsu gave Haku a scared look and shivered.

"Excellent." Mei said with a smile. "Train him up well enough and I'll detach Chojuro from my personal guard to make a team to go to the next Chunin Exams."

"The one in Konoha?" Zabuza asked, then he grinned under his bandages. "Nice, it'll serve as a warning that we're rebuilding the Seven Swordsman once more. Any word on the missing blades?"

"Kisame still has Samehada and we're not entirely certain where the Kiba swords are." Mei admitted with a sigh.

"I'm sure we'll get them back to our land someday." Ao said from where he was standing behind Mei.

' _Did he just say he'd find me a husband some way?'_ Mei thought in a sudden rage. "Ao, shut up or I'll kill you!"

Ao blinked, uncertain as to what had set the Mizukage off _this_ time.

"Oh, one thing about one of Konoha's genin." Zabuza added. "They have an independent genin who's the son of the Yondaime and knows the _Hiraishin_."

"Oh?" Mei purred. "Tell me more? Does he look anything like his father?"

"He looks almost exactly like a younger Yondaime, but with whisker marks on his cheeks…" Zabuza trailed off as he looked suspiciously at Mei. "Mei… why are you blushing?"

.

* * *

.

"The _Hiraishin_." Orochimaru gloated as he leafed through the report in front of him. "And used by the son of my old team-mate's apprentice… how very tempting."

"Indeed, my lord." The glasses-wearing spy said smoothly. "However, may I direct your attention to page seven?"

Orochimaru turned over two pages and frowned.

"Is this accurate? It's certainly a _new_ use for that technique."

"Yes, my lord." Kabuto agreed. "By combining _Kage Bunshin_ with the _Hiraishin_ , Uzumaki can transport reinforcements to wherever he wants, so long as one of the Yondaime's Kunai is there."

"And we can be certain that he is ordering even more kunai." Orochimaru mused."Which means that if we can find one, we may be able to use it to capture him."

"I shall put that near the top of my list of priorities, my lord."

Orochimaru nodded and leafed through another page. "Ah, I see that young Sasuke has activated his _Sharingan_ … wonderful. He will make a _splendid_ future host for myself… assuming that he is strong enough."

"Perhaps you can watch him during the Chunin Exams?" Kabuto suggested. "I mean, assuming that you have no other plans for the occasion that would interfere."

"Well, I am planning to attack Konoha and raze it to the ground…" Orochimaru mused, "But that can wait until I've seen Sasuke fight."

"As you wish, Lord Orochimaru."

"Yes, as I wish." Orochimaru confirmed. "Soon, I will have the Sharingan and the one who wields it in my power… Kukukukukukukukukukuu…"

.

* * *

.

"Huh." Tazuna said as he read the missive that had been delivered.

"Father?" Tsunami asked as she handed him a cup of tea.

"An official invitation to the third stage of the Chunin Exams in just under three months with the Yamanaka Clan volunteering to act as our hosts while we're there." Tazuna said, passing the message across for Tsunami to read.

"Well." Tsunami finally said. "I'm sure that Inari'll be overjoyed to see Ino again. Even if the other lads _are_ teasing him about having an older girlfriend."

Tazuna chuckled. "Yeah, but the blond girl really did help him out of his ongoing grump, didn't she? You know, I don't know if I ever gave her anything as a thank-you…"

"I'll pick up something for her from the market." Tsunami smiled. "Heh, before they came, we didn't _have_ a market thanks to Gato, but now, it's bigger than ever."

"And that's despite the bridge tolls." Tazuna smirked. "It ought to finish paying us back within ten years, even with Konoha's cut taken into account."

"How much are the tolls, anyway?"Tsunami asked. "I heard someone mention ten percent…"

"Half that, actually, split equally between Wave and Leaf." Tazuna corrected. "Low enough that the traders don't mind paying, especially with the security that the permanent outposts the Konoha-ninja have provides."

Tsunami nodded. "Well, I'll head there sometime next week to choose a gift."

"A gift? For who? And why?" Inari asked from the door.

"You know," Tazuna mused, "If you head in early, you could see if there's any more business for us. I was about to send a message to the Hokage anyway."

Tsunami nodded with a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Inari asked curiously.

.

* * *

.

Hiruzen stood atop his tower and looked up as the familiar shape of Onoki descended, flanked by a single bodyguard.

"Welcome to Konoha." Hiruzen said as Onoki touched down.

"Let's not waste any time." Onoki growled. "I'm here for my grand-daughter and the eight idiots with her. You have them?"

Hiruzen made a hand-sign and nine scrolls were slapped onto the roof, unrolled and unsealed. Onoki stared at the unconscious forms, then nodded.

"Seal them back up, I'll take them back to Iwa with me. Here's the ransom for them and I'll tell them that if they ever set foot in Konoha again, I'll be _very_ displeased with them."

Onoki's bodyguard lumbered forwards and presented a scroll to Hiruzen.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you. Perhaps we can do this again some day." Hiruzen smiled as he passed the scroll to one of his ANBU and Onoki growled.

"Can the pleasantries, Hiruzen, we both know I'm too old for them." Onoki grated. "So, you have a new Yellow Flash, I hear. You realize that I'll be sending a team or two to your next chunin exams so I can get a better look at him, right? Not any of _these_ morons, though."

"Interesting how a mere genin can take up so much of your attention." Hiruzen countered and Onoki snorted in brief, bitter laughter.

"Well, we're done here. Akatsuchi, you got the idiots?"

The bodyguard nodded as he clomped back to Onoki's side, then the duo rose into the sky. Hiruzen watched them go with a wry smile on his face.

"Even when you're doing something else, you still somehow manage to shake things up, don't you, Naruto?" He mused.

"Hmmmm, my apprentice-to-be causing issues?" A new voice queried and Hiruzen turned to see a familiar figure lounging on the railing.

"About time you got back." He growled and the new arrival waved a dismissive hand.

"Meh, I was doing some research, that's all. _Vital_ research."

"You mean peeping on the onsens in the neighboring villages, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen retorted.

"Only doing what my teacher taught me to do… _Sensei_." Jiraiya shot back, then he dropped off the railing and walked over to where the Hokage was standing.

"So, while I was doing some research, I found _this_." Jiraiya said, handing over a small booklet. "Looks like someone is making a name for himself."

Hiruzen opened the book and leafed to the page indicated by the ribbon.

" _Golden Flash Uzumaki_." He read, raising an eyebrow. "Well, it looks like my favorite orphan now has _two_ nicknames."

"So he _does_ know the _Hiraishin_? My old student's technique?"

"Sort of." Hiruzen sighed. "He knows the Hokage Guard's version and does it with _Kage Bunshin_. He isn't able to do the full version yet."

"Still damn impressive." Jiraiya admitted. "I assume you want me to help him with the other one now?"

"Yes." Hiruzen stated, then he paused. "Well, once he finishes learning how to open his first two Gates, that is."

"What?!" Jiraiya gasped. "Why the _hell_ does he need to learn _that_?!"

"Because someday, I will want to teach him as well." Hiruzen replied, leaving Jiraiya staring at him in confusion.


	19. Education Of A Genin

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Naruto said as he entered the office and Hiruzen nodded.

"I did. I hear that you've finally learned to open the first two Gates."

Naruto nodded, looking proud. "I have, although according to Gai-Sensei, the first three Gates are easier if you have naturally large Chakra reserves, while the rest are far more difficult. It still took me over a month to learn, though. My… usual learning technique doesn't really go well with using the Gates."

"I wouldn't know." The white-haired man in the corner of the office noted. "I was skilled enough not to need it, then I learned something better."

Naruto turned to face the second man, noting the red lines reaching down from his eyes and his unusual mode of dress.

"Jiraiya of the Sannin, I presume?"

"Damn, Sensei, he's fast." Jiraiya laughed, then he started a kabuki-style dance. "Yep, I'm the man that all women want to love and all men would love to be! I'm the master of _Senjutsu_ and the summoner of Toads! I… am Jiraiya!"

"Jiji… this man's crazier than Anko!"

"No, he… wait. When did you meet Anko?" Hiruzen asked, distracted by the comment.

"Ran into her on one of my missions… literally." Naruto sighed. "I thought _I_ was addicted to Ramen, but my love of it's _nothing_ compared to that crazy woman's worship of Dango and when the impact caused two sticks of it to hit the ground…"  
Naruto gave a shudder, then grinned. "On the other hand, that was the best escape and evasion lesson I've ever had. I actually had to use my… _special_ escape technique."

"You mean _Hiraishin_." Jiraiya noted. "What? I taught the Yondaime, I _knew_ his techniques."

"You taught dad?" Naruto asked and Jiraiya's jaw dropped.

"Dammit, Sensei! I thought the plan was to wait until he was sixteen or chunin before telling him? You know, security and all that?"

"He worked it out himself." Hiruzen sighed. "Now, Naruto, according to the original plan I'd temporarily re-assign you to learn from Jiraiya, but as an independent genin, the rules are slightly different. Since you need to earn your way, things get more complicated."

Naruto nodded, his expression showing his interest.

"As such, I'm assigning you to learn from Jiraiya in the afternoons. This gives you the mornings to do missions and I'll also arrange for you to receive low D-rank pay to offset any costs caused by Jiraiya's lessons as you learn your father's _other_ technique."

"The _Rasengan_." Naruto breathed and Jiraiya smirked as he held up a hand in which a sparkling sphere of chakra spun.

"Yep. Your father's legacy."

Naruto frowned. "I'm going to need help for this… can I decide who else can learn this, since it was my dad who created it?"

"I guess so…" Jiraiya said slowly. "Who did you have in mind, and why?"

.

"Hello, Kurenai-san!" Naruto called and the tall dark-haired woman turned to see her favorite non-team genin approaching with a figure behind him that she recognized only too well and, if his paling face was any indication, remembered her.

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but I thought you'd be almost finished by now." Naruto smiled and Kurenai nodded.

"My team are just doing their cooldowns now." She said, then she paused as Kiba dashed past her.

"Naruto! I did it!" He shouted. "I got myself a [den for me and Akamaru](https://www.deviantart.com/honorablebaldy/art/Inuzuka-Den-Block-563038239)! Sure, it's only a single room apartment with a loo and shower in the corner and a small kitchen counter, but it's _mine_ and it's all thanks to _you_ helping catch those people and bring them back! I got over fifty thousand Ryo and even with the clan's cut, that was still enough for me to get my den outright!"

"Now you need to spend extra time keeping it all clean, though." Naruto pointed out and Kiba sagged.

"Yeah, I hadn't actually realized how much effort that is. But still, my own den! Whoo!"

Kiba bounced off and Kurenai shook her head in fond exasperation.

"Just when I think I'm getting him calmed down." She sighed, then she turned her attention to Naruto's companion. "Jiraiya."

"Kurenai-san." Jiraiya said formally, earning a confused stare from Naruto. "What?"

"What did she do to you to make you treat her like _that_?" Naruto asked and Jiraiya flinched.

"Don't ask."

Kurenai smirked at the Toad Sage's discomfort before turning her attention back to Naruto.

"So, how may I help you?"

"Well, Jiraiya's going to be trying to teach me a trick he learned from the Yondaime, but it's one that I need an extra set of eyes for. And since I plan on letting Hinata-chan learn any of my techniques that she wants, I thought I'd start now and ask for her help on this."

"What technique is it?" Kurenai asked curiously and Jiraiya held up an orb of spinning chakra. "The _Rasengan_!"

Jiraiya nodded as Hinata approached, her _dojutsu_ active.

"It's… beautiful…" She whispered. "Naruto-kun, I'll help you however I can."

Jiraiya grinned lopsidedly and sighed as he allowed the orb to dissipate.

"Jiraiya…" Kurenai said warningly and the older man flinched away.

"I didn't even _say_ anything! Kid, meet you at your dad's place!" He yelped as he ran away.

"What did you _do_ to him?" Naruto asked again.

"Let's just say that it involved a little _genjutsu_ of mine." Kurenai smirked. "If you want details…?"

"If you don't mind, Kurenai-Sensei." Hinata demurred.

"Gai and Kakashi, in swimming trunks, doing a Sunset of Youth."

Both teens flinched at the mental image and Kurenai laughed.

"Hinata, you're excused. Go help Naruto learn an awesome jutsu."

"Thanks, Kurenai-san." / "Thank you, Kurenai-Sensei."

.

Jiraiya looked up from where he was scribbling notes while sprawled across one of the sofas as a flash of light illuminated the house, fading out to reveal Hinata surrounded by a trio of Narutos.

"Nice, kid." Jiraiya said as he stuffed the notebook back into a pocket and straightened up from his sprawl. Naruto looked at him with a frown even as the other two clones moved to the kitchen area.

"I'm quite certain that I locked the door…"

Jiraiya held up a key. "Given to me by the Yondaime. Since this was one of his houses…"

"Yeah, I can see why dad would give you his key." Naruto nodded and Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at Hinata.

"Not surprised by that revelation?"

Hinata blinked, then her eyes opened wide as she gaped comically at Naruto. "Whoah! You called the Yondaime, _dad_?! You're his _son_?! You're having the Great Pervert teach you?!"

"That's _Super_ Pervert!" Jiraiya corrected petulantly and both Hinata and Naruto started laughing at her over-acting. "I guess you already knew."

"Since the day we got engaged." Naruto confirmed as a clone walked over with three cups of tea on a tray. The clone waited until Hinata was seated, then offered the tray first to her, then to Jiraiya before Naruto accepted the third cup.

"Nice tea." Jiraiya noted after taking a sip, then he leaned forwards. "So, engaged to a Hyuuga, huh? I've heard about the Secret Hyuuga Bloodline and you are a _very_ lucky young man."

Both Naruto and Hinata glared at him, refusing to take the verbal bait.

"Fine, to business then. Unlike most Jutsu, the _Rasengan_ is pure chakra manipulation." Jiraiya said before he took another sip. "Wow, this is _good_ tea. Anyway… pure chakra manipulation. It requires a large amount of control to achieve and it looks like _this_."

The now-familiar spinning sphere formed in Jiraiya's free hand.

"According to your father, it should be possible to combine a _Rasengan_ with elemental chakra to create an even more destructive attack." Jiraiya continued. "Your father was working on it, but keeping a _Rasengan_ stable while adding an elemental edge to it… is _not_ a trivial exercise. He ended up in hospital several times after it exploded on him."

"Mental note." Naruto half-whispered. "All _Rasengan_ experiments are to be carried out by _Kage Bunshin_."

"I wouldn't be happy if you did something that put you in hospital." Hinata confirmed as Jiraiya drained the rest of his tea.

"So, finish up and meet me outside for your training." He said as he rose from the sofa and walked to the door, detouring to hand his cup to the clone in the kitchen area.

.

"Over here!" Jiraiya called as the duo emerged. "So, you ready? I'm sure the Hyuuga girl…"

"Her name's Hinata." Naruto interjected and Jiraiya nodded with a smile.

"Okay. I'm sure _Hinata_ -san will have an advantage, given that she can _see_ chakra flows."

Naruto and Hinata exchanged glances, then he enfolded her in a hug.

" _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

The resulting cloud of smoke cleared to reveal five Narutos and five Hinatas.

"Heh, nice trick." Jiraiya said as he held up one hand and all five Hinatas activated their _byakugan_ s. "Now, this is how it looks."

A sphere briefly formed on his hand, then he held up a water balloon in his other hand. "And this is the exercise for the first stage."

The balloon rippled, bulged and then popped.

"I've put a load of water balloons in that box there." Jiraiya said, pointing to a small wooden crate by the front door. "Come and get me once you've got it down."

Jiraiya ran off and Naruto sat down, letting Hinata lean against him.

"Alright!" He called. "All Hinata clones and two of mine dispel one at a time, let's see exactly what he did."

Hinata gave him a _look_ before her clones dispelled and both of them absorbed the memories of how the chakra flowed into and through the water balloon.

"Naruto-kun," She asked as her mind settled from the informational influx. "Why did you only dispel _half_ your clones?"

Naruto smiled. "I'll show you soon. For now, will you help me make some more clones for practice?"

Hinata nodded and when she felt Naruto's chakra flow though her, she _pushed_ some of her own into it so that the memories from his clones would also return to her.

"Okay." Naruto smiled as he released her from the hug. "Original two, with me! Everyone else, we've seen how it's done, let's practice! Hinata, I'm sorry for not thinking of doing this for you earlier."

As Hinata blinked in confusion, Naruto formed up with the two original clones and they vanished in a flash of light.

"Naruto-kun?"

.

* * *

.

"Ooooohhh… hehehehehe…" Jiraiya giggled as he scribbled in his notebook between peeping at the forms visible in the light haze of steam above the women's onsen. "Oooooh, yes! This is…"

His mutterings halted as he sensed two people just behind him, then with a double popping noise, two waves of water showered down on him, drenching his notebook.

"My research!" He whimpered, then he turned to see Naruto and Hinata smirking at him, scraps of rubber held in their right hands. "Already? It's only been a couple of hours!"

Hinata activated her _byakugan_ briefly and Jiraiya looked at Naruto.

"That explains the princess, but how did _you_ get it so fast?"

" _Kage Bunshin_ memory sharing with Hinata-Hime." Naruto grinned. "When we make _Kage Bunshin_ together, Hinata puts some of her chakra into mine and when the clones dispel, she gets the memories as well… why are you sniggering?"

"I bet that _Kage Bunshin_ aren't the only thing you'd like to make with Hinata." Jiraiya snorted.

"We cook as well." Naruto said even as Hinata blushed furiously. "I've been taking lessons from Teuchi-san in how to cook and I'm getting pretty good at it."

Jiraiya stared at him in shock, then he shook his head in disbelief.

"You have _no_ idea what I'm trying to imply, have you?"

"Is this a pervert thing?" Naruto asked suspiciously and Jiraiya sighed.

"Look, your next lesson will be tomorrow at the same time. Now… scram and recover."

Naruto nodded and a single clone formed beside him. The three of them stood in a triangle, their hands touching, then they vanished in a flash of light.

"He taught her the _Hiraishin_?" Jiraiya gasped. "And _that_ quickly?"

"What was that light?"

Jiraiya spun back to face the fence of the onsen as a dozen kunoichi leapt on the top of the wall, one of them scarily familiar.

"Jiraiya!" Kurenai shouted, her fingers already going through a sequence of hand-seals that Jiraiya recognised.

"Oh hell!" He yelped, "Not the _Yaoi Genjutsu_! Time to ruuu-uuuuuuuuuun!"

Jiraiya sped off as fast as he could, hoping to escape the wrath of the _Genjutsu Mistress_ through sheer speed that almost matched that which his student was famed for.


	20. Practice Of A genin

Jiraiya looked up as Naruto, Hinata and one of Naruto's clones flashed into existence.

"Hey, Ero-sennin!" Naruto called and Jiraiya bit back a groan. "We're ready for lesson two!"

"Just show me the first lesson. Both hands. One at a time, then together." Jiraiya said, handing over some water balloons and both genin stared at him.

"I… We haven't practiced _that_ …" Naruto finally admitted and Jiraiya shrugged.

"Then until you get it done, I won't teach you the next stage." He said, pulling out a scroll and unsealing the familiar box of balloons. "Get practicing."

Naruto sighed and turned to Hinata, who responded by hugging him as he created the by-now-familiar clones. Jiraiya smirked and turned to stroll away.

"I'll be back tomorrow, show me then." He called over his shoulder.

"You just want to peep at the hot springs!" Naruto yelled at the Sannin and laughter was his only answer as Jiraiya vanished in a swirl of leaves.

"Dammit." Naruto groaned. "Alright, two of my clones prepare some snacks to tide us over, the rest of us, let's start practicing!"

.

"Kakashi." Jiraiya said in greeting as he strolled onto training ground seven.

"Jiraiya-san." Kakashi nodded back. "Been training Naruto?"

"And his girlfriend." Jiraiya confirmed. "Hyuuga Hinata. You know that she and Naruto can share memories? She used her _Byakugan_ to examine first stage of the _Rasengan_ , then gave Naruto the memories of what it _looked_ like. They managed to get the basic form in under five hours. I've left them learning how to do it with either hand, or both at the same time."

Kakashi nodded, then turned to look at the trio of bruised and battered genin who were approaching.

"Tora… captured." Sasuke ground out as he rubbed at the thick bands on his wrists. "Bloody demon-spawn."

"I got to use the mystical palm technique on them." Sakura smiled crookedly. "I'm getting good at that… probably a good thing with Ino learning how to use poisons."

"Very good. Remind me to give you some scrolls on analyzing poisons and synthesizing antidotes." Kakashi smiled. "I'd like you to meet the sensei of my sensei, Jiraiya of the Sannin."

Jiraiya smiled at them and Tobio gaped in recognition.

"You're the one who writes the books Kakashi-sensei reads!"

"What?!" Sakura snarled, her fists clenching. " _You_ write that smut? DIE!"

Jiraiya blinked in surprise, just long enough for Sakura to deliver an uppercut that launched him high into the air. As he vanished over the trees, Kakashi gave his female genin a wary look as he covertly pocketed his book.

"He deserved it." Sakura said defensively. "Not only is it smut, it's _badly written_ smut."

"How do you know that?" Tobio asked and Sakura blushed.

.

"Bloody hell." Jiraiya groaned as he pulled himself out of his landing crater. "Girl hits almost as hard as Tsunade-hime did at that age."

Standing up, he brushed the dirt off his clothes, then glanced in the direction of the distant training field.

"Wonder what would happen if she trained under Tsunade-hime?" He mused to himself, then he shook his head. "Nah, she said she wasn't coming back. Thank the Kamis. I don't _want_ to know how scary she would be if Tsunade-hime trained her."

.

* * *

.

Hiashi appeared in the middle of the living area in a flash of light and his gaze snapped across to where Naruto and Hinata were slumped on the couch, Hinata resting her head on Naruto's shoulder while his cheek rested on her head.

"They collapsed after they spent all day working on the first stage exercise." The clone washing the dishes reported. "I sent three clones to bring you here, they obviously decided that speed was of the essence."

"They did." Hiashi agreed as he looked round. "Are you the only clone left?"

"Yep, and I've only got enough chakra for maybe another half hour or so." The clone replied. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't trust Boss with the _Hiraishin_ when he's _this_ tired."

Hiashi nodded, then walked up the stairs, vanishing into the bedroom area for a moment before reappearing.

"Why the large bed?"

"Boss' dad's." The clone shrugged. "Boss didn't see the need to replace it, just purchased some new sheets and a mattress for the frame."

Hiashi nodded as he descended and walked over to the sleeping duo.

"Is there a spare futon?"

"Yep, several." The clone said. "In fact, that sofa and the other two are futons. So, the princess gets the bed and boss gets a futon? I'll set it up now."

"One of the ones that Naruto is _not_ on at the moment." Hiashi said as he carefully disentangled his daughter from Naruto's gentle hug and picked her up. "I see no reason to disturb him more than is absolutely required."

The clone set about extending the couch against the front wall into a bed as Hiashi carried his daughter up the stairs and carefully placed her on the near side of the bed, facing away from the stairs. Pausing to give her a smile that he would never show in the Hyuuga Compound (where quite literally anyone could be watching and someone almost always was), he descended to the ground floor just in time to see the clone finish laying the sheets on the downstairs bed.

"You may dispel." Hiashi said and the clone vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Hiashi stepped forwards and gently scooped Naruto up, then paused with a mischievous smirk on his face.

.

* * *

.

A knock on the door roused Hiashi from his slumber and he rose from his bed, mentally cursing whoever had interrupted his pleasant dreams at what seemed to be barely past the crack of dawn.

Silently padding to the door, Hiashi flung it open silently and glared at the person on the other side, a glare which almost instantly changed to surprised recognition.

"Hiashi-dono." Maruboshi Kosuke smiled with a formal bow.

"Kosuke-sama." Hiashi responded with an equally formal bow of respect. "I am surprised to see the Eternal Genin deigning to visit the house of my daughter's betrothed."

"I had a free day and confirmed that my Kohai was also free, so I thought I would aid in his training." Kosuke smiled, then his gaze sharpened. "But you already know who his parents were, do you not?"

"I do." Hiashi said, keeping his voice low and Kosuke smiled.

"Then may I suggest that we share a cup of tea? I have with me a most excellent morning blend, the aroma of which should persuade my Kohai and your daughter to awaken and join us."

Hiashi nodded and stepped back,waving for Kosuke to enter Naruto's house.

.

A pleasant aroma drifting through the air teased at Hinata's nose and she clutched tighter at her nice, warm pillow as her mind wavered between the comfort of sleep and waking up to discover what that smell was.

Her pillow let out a small, sleepy grumble and Hinata's eyes flew open as she realized that it _wasn't_ a pillow she was hugging, but Naruto! Releasing her grip on him, Hinata sat up and looked around in surprise, then down at Naruto, who was lying facing away from her, but even from that angle she could see the small smile on his face.

The murmur of conversation caught her attention and she slipped out of bed, noting that she was still clad in her clothes from yesterday, and crept to peer round the chimney, carefully avoiding knocking anything off the shelves. Her father, sat in the dining area and talking to an older man that Hinata vaguely recognised, glanced up, then pointed at the kitchen area. Hinata moved to the top of the stairs and blinked at the sight of two steaming mugs of tea on the counter.

.

"…naruto? Naruto?"

The combination of the delightful aroma, the motion of someone shaking his shoulder and his name being called were enough to wake Naruto up. Yawning, he sat up and stretched, then looked round in confusion.

"Did I sleep-walk?" He asked in befuddlement. "Last thing I remember is from one of my clones who set up a futon for me to sleep in."

"I don't know." Hinata half-whispered. "But my father is downstairs with another person! And they have cups of tea waiting for us!"

Naruto let himself be chivied out of bed and over to the stairs, where he stopped.

"Kosuke-sempai?"

"Naruto-kohai." The old man smiled back. "Hinata-sama. Good morning. I brewed some tea. Please, come and join us. I hope you don't mind the unexpected visit."

"Sempai, you are always welcome here." Naruto smiled as he descended the stairs and scooped up one of the mugs. "Mmmmmm, the Sunrise Ascendant blend."

Hinata took a sip of her own mug and blinked at the complex weaving of hints of fruit and spice that somehow enhanced the flavour of the tea itself.

"Hiashi-sama." Naruto continued. "I… did not wake up where I expected to."

"Yet you were exactly where I knew you were." Hiashi replied and Hinata caught the tiny creasing at the corners of his eyes that showed he was amused. "These futons are very comfortable both as seats and as beds. May I ask where you procured them?"

"Uhhhh, I think it was Sasata's Furniture Supplies." Naruto said as he sat on the chair facing Hiashi and Hinata slid in beside him. "He was doing a three-for-two offer at the time."

Hiashi pulled out a small notebook, made a notation in it and then tucked it back in his kimono.

"Hey, I smell something _amazing_!" Jiraiya called as he opened the door and stepped inside. "Is there any le… Hiashi?"

"Jiraiya." Hiashi stated, then he briefly activated his _byakugan_. "I trust that you are behaving _honorably_ around my daughter."

Jiraiya nodded almost frantically. "Of course I am! It's not like she's sixteen yet…"

Jiraiya trailed off as he suddenly recognized the other figure who was smirking at him.

"You haven't changed, have you Jira-kun?"

Jiraiya stared at him for a long moment, then sighed. "I've obviously missed something. Hello, Kosuke-sempai. What's going on?"

"Nothing of any real note." Hiashi said as Kosuke poured out a fifth cup of tea and passed it to the Toad Sage. With malicious timing, Hiashi waited until Jiraiya took a sip before continuing. "Although Naruto _was_ sleeping with my daughter last night."

The resulting spray was quite spectacular.

As was Hinata's almost luminescent blush.

"Hinata… what's your dad talking about?" Naruto asked in befuddlement.

"Do not worry." Hiashi smirked. "And apropos of nothing, I believe that once I finish this excellent tea, it will be time to see if you can use that tag you gave me…"

.

"So, since I had today free and heard that you did as well, I thought I'd pop over to see how you were doing in your dad's old house and maybe give you some help with training." Kosuke explained as he handed his now-empty cup to one of Naruto's clones to take back inside and Jiraiya gave him a fulminating look.

"How many people _know_ that damn secret? Inside Konoha, I mean."

"Em, me… obviously." Naruto said. "Kosuka-sempai, Hinata-hime, Hiashi-dono, Hiruzen-jiji, you… anyone else?"

"I think Ko-san might." Hinata said thoughtfully. "He seems far more accepting of you than he used to be…"

"Never mind, it can wait." Jiraiya sighed. "So, show me what you… okay, I'm pretty damn impressed."

Hinata smiled shyly as she she shook her hands to dry them, the shreds of rubber that had once been two water balloons fluttering down to the ground. Beside her, Naruto simply held up the rubber fragments.

"Okay, you done good." Jiraiya admitted. "Now, get those clones of yours ready to watch, because at this rate, you'll have finished by tomorrow."

As Hinata and Naruto went through their usual clone-creation routine, Jiraiya unsealed a new box.

"Okay." He said, holding up a rubber ball. "Same basic thing, only more power. Watch closely… and like _this_!"

The ball shredded in his hand, ripped apart from the inside and several of the Hinatas nodded in understanding.

"Grab the balls and get to work." Jiraiya said, then he paused as Kosuke tapped him on the shoulder. "Sempai?"

"It has been a while since you and I have sparred and I seem to have the day free." Kosuke said with a smile that seemed slightly sinister. "And apropos of nothing, my grand-daughter mentioned hearing… _giggling_ yesterday at the onsen…"

Jiraiya went so white that the red lines below his eyes seemed almost to hover above his face.

"A single spar?" He croaked and Kosuke's smile turned feral.

"No, Jiraiya. I think she mentioned hearing the giggles at least half a dozen times."

Jiraiya managed to pale even further.

.

* * *

.

Hiashi stood at the front gate, one eyebrow slightly raised as the figure carrying his daughter approached.

"Kosuke-san." Hiashi said in greeting.

"Hiashi-sama." Kosuka replied. "Please forgive the apparent lack of respect, but I fear that if I bow…"

A glance at Hinata's sleeping form, her head cradled against Kosuke's shoulder, was enough to finish the sentence and Hiashi motioned for Kosuke to enter before gently lifting Hinata out of the old Genin's arms.

"Tokuma, please escort Kosuke-san to my study and have the kitchens send some tea… the _good_ tea. Kosuke-san, I thank you for returning my daughter and ask that once I place her in her bed, you allow me to be your host."

"It would be an honor, Hiashi-dono." Kosuke said with a bow.

.

"Ow."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at the sight of a bruised, beaten and battered Jiraiya landing on the floor after painfully hauling himself in through the window.

"Kosuke has a grand-daughter." Jiraiya stated and Hiruzen nodded slowly, connecting the simple statement with what he knew of his old student and the Eternal Genin's approach to those who threatened (or simply annoyed) those he called family.

"I'll summon a med-nin for you."


	21. Duties Of A Genin

"Feels like it's been almost years since I was last doing The Wall." Naruto mused as he ambled along, eyes constantly scanning the surrounding forest.

"It has been a little while, but wall patrol is one of the few D-ranks that you can always count on." Kosuke agreed. "Have you been approached regarding the upcoming chunin exams?"

Naruto blinked. "The… what? I've heard of them, but not what they _are_."

"The chunin exams," Kosuke repeated, "Are where the elite genin teams compete against each other for promotion, showing off the attributes that mark them as future team leaders."

"I wonder if I could enter." Naruto mused. "I mean, with my clones, I'm a team… if not a _task force_ by myself."

"It's only for those who are officially _on_ teams." Kosuke said and Naruto looked slightly downcast. "For those of us who serve as normal genin, there's always mission promotion, such as how you became a genin in the first place. If you help with enough C-rank missions, you'll be considered for promotion. B-rank missions are also good. An S-rank mission almost guarantees promotion if successful, but being caught up in one means that _something_ has gone seriously wrong."

"Like Wave." Naruto nodded. "That started out as a C-rank, but I think it was A-rank near the end with those Iwa-nin."

"High B-rank, certainly." Kosuke nodded. "It cost Iwa a great deal to get their shinobi back."

For several minutes, they proceeded in silence, then Naruto spoke.

"So, since I'm not on a team, why would I be approached for the exams?"

"Security." Kosuke said in explanation. "How many places can you be at once? And you can have a dozen clones ready to transport a fast-reaction ANBU squad to wherever it's needed…"

Naruto nodded in understanding, then he smirked.

"Thought of something?" Kosuke asked curiously.

"When I use my clones to transport someone, it looks like they've learned dad's version at the other end…"

Kosuke pondered Naruto's words for a moment, then he smiled as well.

"You may want to suggest it to Ibiki as a way for him to make his entrance." He said. "Having the genin taking part thinking that the leader of T&I is of the same level as the Yondaime will really increase the stress on them, and if they can't cope with that, they aren't ready to be chunin."

Naruto grinned evilly.

.

* * *

.

"Good morning." Kurenai smiled at her genin team. "As you have probably heard, the chunin exams are going to happen next month and given how much training you've done with Naruto's help, I believe that you are ready to experience just what a chunin exam is like."

"Cool." Kiba perked up. "So we're gonna get a chance to be promoted?"

"Yes and no." Kurenai allowed. "It is _very_ rare for a genin to be promoted on their first chunin exam since the examiners look for more things than simply passing the various tests. In addition, the tests themselves can be dangerous. All of you have seen combat, so you should be able to cope, but deaths in Chunin Exams are unfortunately fairly common. I can't remember a single chunin exam where someone _didn't_ die."

The trio stared at her in near-shock and Kurenai shrugged.

"As shinobi, we need to be prepared to face death." Kurenai continued. "I'm not saying that there's a high chance of you dying, your experience will help you to overcome almost anything you are likely to encounter, but even a stray kunai has been known to kill a Jonin.  
"On the other hand, participating in a chunin exam will help you towards progressing up the ranks. Even if you fail, so long as you demonstrate at least _some_ of what the examiners want, it will be noted in your file and you will be more likely to pass the next time.  
"The reason I'm telling you about this now, rather than closer to the exams, is so that you can decide for yourselves whether you think that _you_ are ready or not. I don't want an answer today, we'll wait a full week for you to make your decisions so that you can consider it carefully. I'd advise asking your clans about what chunin exams are like and whether or not they think that you are ready for them.  
"In the end, though, the decision is yours and only yours."

Kurenai waited for several moments as all three genin thought through her words, then she motioned for them to follow her.

"For now, though, we need to pick up another D-rank." She remarked.

"Not Tora!" Kiba yelped.

"I'll see if there are any _non_ -Tora missions." Kurenai chuckled and Kiba heaved a huge sigh of relief.

.

* * *

.

"And that's done." Kosuke said as the duo descended from the top of the wall. "Just claim the payment from the guard-post and we're finished for the day."

"And I can take over." A new voice said, causing Kosuke and Naruto to look at the new arrival.

"Jiraiya-san." Kosuke said in a tone that was both respectful and somehow warning.

"Kosuke-san." Jiraiya responded with a respectful nod.

"Hey, weren't you calling him - _sempai_ yesterday?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Uhhhhh, yeah. Long story." Jiraiya said with an embarrassed shrug as he walked over with a slight limp. "So, if we collect your fiancee once she's finished her task, I can get you started on the _third_ stage."

"Sure!" Naruto said as he raised his hands to form the cross-seal, then he paused.

"Sempai, do you want to come?"

"Thank you, but I'm heading home to be with my grandchildren this afternoon." Kosuke smiled, ruffling Naruto's hair and earning a mock-scowl in return. " I'd suggest sending a clone to pick up the payment."

"Good idea!" Naruto chirped as three clones appeared in a burst of smoke. "Thanks for helping me understand better, sempai."

"What?" Jiraiya asked as Naruto and two of the clones surrounded him. "What did he help you und…"

Kosuke smiled with amusement as a flash of golden light cut off Jiraiya's question.

.

"And since I believe Hinata has _special_ training, team training for today is done." Kurenai smiled. "Kiba, Shino, if either of you want any help with things you wish to improve, simply stay and tell me what you need help with. As for you, Hinata, I believe that your training partner should be here very soon."

"…stand better?" Jiraiya finished as he appeared in a flash of golden light. "Oh. Good afternoon, Kurenai-san."

"Jiraiya-sama." Kurenai said coolly and Jiraiya held up his hands in a defensive pose.

"No need to get angry! I'm not doing _any_ more research until I leave Konoha! Promise!"

Kurenai blinked at the declaration even as the trio of Naruto's moved to greet her team.

"You… but… _why_?"

"Kosuke-sempei made some very _forceful_ arguments. He had some… _cutting_ comments and made several distinct _points_." Jiraiya said with a shudder of memory.

Kurenai blinked again, trying to come to terms with what the statement implied. "Ohhhh… kay?"

"Thank you for the training, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata said with a bow. "I look forwards to tomorrow's training."

"What are you learning?" Kiba asked curiously.

"It's a clan Jutsu." One of the three Naruto's provided. "Sorry."

Hinata smiled as she took position to the left of Jiraiya, joining hands with two of the Narutos, then they vanished in another burst of golden light, leaving one Naruto behind.

"Clone." He said by way of explanation. "Boss asked me to stay behind for a moment in case you needed anything."

"That's… very generous." Kurenai finally admitted, her eyes still on the space where Hinata had been standing. "Did Hinata really just…?"

"Yep." The clone nodded. "She did. Learned it in uder two hours, we think it's because she's got so used to sharing Boss' memories."

"That is one heck of a teaching technique." Kurenai said as she shook her head in resigned amusement.

"Clan jutsu?" The clone offered after a moment and Kurenai smiled.

.

"The third stage." Jiraiya said as he held up an inflated balloon. Hinata activated her _dojutsu_ and stared, as did her clones.

"Control." She whispered and Jiraiya nodded as he held up a _rasengan_ in his other hand.

"As Hinata has realized, this part is all about holding the sphere steady. A single bit of loose chakra would be enough to shred the balloon, so you need to keep it as spherical as possible without actually touching the inside surface of the balloon. Do that memory-thing and get started."

Jiraiya pulsed the _rasengan_ s in his hands so that the balloon shredded, then let the chakra spheres dissipate. "Naruto, get it right and we'll see about summons next. Hinata, sorry, but I don't think you have enough yet to do a summoning technique, it takes quite a bit of chakra."

"I'm working on expanding my chakra reserves." Hinata smiled as her first clone dispelled. "I hope to be able to use the _Kage Bunshin_ myself within a year."

Jiraiya gave her a proud smile. "Good target. And once you manage to learn it, it'll open up a whole new range of techniques for you."

"What I have learned so far already has." Hinata smiled and Naruto gave her a confused look. "I can curve my chakra in my strikes, it allows me to target up to six tenketsu in a single strike, although I can only do it from my hands at the moment. I'm still working on my feet and joints."

Jiraiya's jaw dropped.

"Even Neji-niisan doesn't know how I do it." Hinata added, her eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth.

"Ni-iiiiiiiice." Jiraiya smiled. " _Very_ nice. Naruto, I bet you're suddenly very happy _not_ to be going up against her in the exams."

"Hey, Hinata can kick my ass anyway with her _Jyuuken_." Naruto half-protested, causing Hinata to blush. "Why would she need to prove how awesome she is compared to me? Ow!"

Hinata lowered her hand. "Naruto, stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Putting yourself down." Jiraiya supplied. "I've been talking to all the Jonin and Special Jonin who've been helping to train you, right now you're pretty much a solid chunin. Sensei's admitted that if you get another mission that goes up in rank like Wave did, especially since you knew when to call for backup which is something many ninja never truly learn, you'll be granted the vest. Failing that, as long as you don't screw up, you'll be a chunin at sixteen by the latest."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks… Ero-sennin!"

"Dammit! Stop calling me that!" Jiraiya growled. "Look, just get practicing, okay? I have work to do."

Hinata raised an eyebrow and Jiraiya shook his head. "No, I said _work_ , not _research_. Completely different."

"If you say so." Naruto replied, doubt filling his voice.

"I do, brat."

"Pervert.

"That's _Super_ Pervert!"

.

* * *

.

"Ow."Shikamaru moaned as Ino helped to bandage the wounds caused by the spray of senbon that the shadow user had _almost_ dodged.

"Oh, shut up, you baby." Ino snapped. "I get worse than that whenever one of my traps misfires _and_ I'm still working on my poison resistance. _You_ have it easy."

"Go easy on him, Ino." Asuma laughed as he ambled up. "You all did good today."

"Thanks, Sensei." Choji said as he handed another bandage to Ino, who gave him a nod of thanks.

"So, I've decided that you do indeed have a chance." Asuma said. "The Chunin Exams are only a month away. I've been holding off on offering you the chance to participate, but I think that you will be able to cope, seeing how much you have progressed since Wave."

Ino grinned as she finished tying off the bandage around Shikamaru's arm.

"I heard that Kurenai's entered team eight as well." She noted. "So, how much is because you believe in us and how much is because you're trying to impress her enough to get her to jump your bones?"

Asuma coughed. "I… don't know what you're talking about…"

"Oh, please." Ino rolled her eyes. "We all know that you've got the hots for her and she thinks you've got a great ass. I guess it's okay for an old man…"

"Unlike your toyboy." Shikamaru said, somersaulting to avoid the senbon that Ino fired at him.

"Inari is _not_ my toyboy!" Ino ranted as she flung another dozen senbon at the frantically-dodging Shikamaru before Asuma placed his hand on her shoulder. "He isn't."

"I didn't even mention him, you just assumed that he was who I was talk-whoah!" Shikamaru added, ducking back behind the tree as a trio of senbon whistled through the space he had been occupying.

" _Anyway_." Asuma said loudly to refocus their attention. "I want you three to think about whether or not you want to go for this exam or if you would prefer to train more in order to have a greater advantage at the next one."

"I vote for this one." Choji said as he pocketed the scroll that held the now-unneeded medical kit. "I don't know where the next one is to be held, we'll have the home-field advantage for this one."

Ino gave her large team-mate a look of respect.

"Damn, Choji, I didn't expect _you_ to come up with that reasoning." She marvelled and Choji blushed slightly.

"I have been trying to keep up with you and Shika…" He mumbled defensively.


	22. Assignment Of A Genin

"Hey, Jiji. You asked for me?" Naruto said in greeting as he entered the office and Hiruzen smiled.

"I did, Naruto. As you know, the Chunin Exam is happening in three weeks time and in about a week or so, the competitors from the other nations will start arriving. As such, I'm afraid it's an _'All bodies to the walls'_ situation. All D-ranks will be done by…"

"Die!"

Naruto spun round and grabbed the surprisingly small intruder, hurling him against the wall even as three clones popped into existence. As the attacker rebounded, the clones closed in on him…  
…then vanished in a flash of light.

"…I _think_ that was my grandson…" Hiruzen finally managed. "Where did you send him?"

"Training ground nine." Naruto said with a wince. "I… kinda have an agreement with Gai, made after the Wave mission. If I come across anyone who I deem to be a threat to Konoha, I either summon Gai and his team to help or, if I can, I send the threat to Gai for him to deal with. Your grandson?"

"Konohamaru." Hiruzen said, moving his hands in a series of complex seals as he gazed into the crystal ball on his desk. "I only hope that…"

Hiruzen's voice faded as a scene formed in the ball, a scene focused on the young boy that Naruto had reflexively sent to confront one of the most lethal shinobi in Konoha.

A boy who had been pinned to a target post via a dozen well-thrown kunai pinning his coat, trousers and scarf so he couldn't move while Neji glared at him from barely six inches away, his _byakugan_ fully active.

"Naruto, I think I need to rescue him." Hiruzen sighed. "If you would accompany me?"

Naruto nodded, summoning two more clones.

.

Konohamaru would have been amazed that he hadn't emptied his bladder if he'd had a single instant to think of anything other than the horrifying situation that he was in.

He'd snuck away from his tutor and tried to ambush his grandfather again, only to be intercepted by an orange blur that had caused the world to blink around him, dropping him on the ground _just_ in time to be grabbed by a green blur and flung against a wooden post, impacting at the exact instant that a veritable blizzard of kunai pinned him (without drawing even a single drop of blood) and now he was staring in terror at a pair of blank eyes that seemed to be weighing him up and finding him to be less than worthless.

"Well, this is an interesting situation you've got yourself into." A gratifyingly familiar voice commented and Konohamaru tried to tear his gaze away from the glaring eyes, but couldn't.

"G… g… gramps…?"

"You can stop glaring at him now, Neji." Hiruzen chuckled and Konohamaru sagged in relief as the eyes turned away, letting him see that it had been an older teen-aged boy who had been glaring at him and not the Shinigami as he had thought. "Tenten, excellent work with the kunai. I think I'll reward you all by marking this as an impromptu D-rank mission."

"…gramps…?" Konohamaru whimpered and Hiruzen moved to stand in front of him, casting a measuring eye over him.

"Well, now you know why launching attacks like that is a bad idea." He smiled. "I've upgraded my security."

Naruto hid a smirk as Hiruzen started to unpin his grandson, then he felt a familiar presence by his shoulder.

"Sorry, Gai." Naruto offered. "False alarm this time. I… kinda reacted a bit too quickly."

"These things are known to happen." Gai agreed. "However, my students coped admirably in restraining him without causing any injury. I am very proud of them. They will undoubtedly do well in the exam."

"I heard that Kakashi is thinking of entering his team." Hiruzen commented as he finished releasing Konohamaru.

"Kurenai and Asuma are letting their teams decide if they want to get experience of the exams while they have the home-field advantage." Naruto offered. "They've told their teams that it's extremely unlikely that they'll manage to _be_ promoted this time, but if they do well, it'll be noted for next time."

"A wise decision, given the types of teams that they lead." Gai agreed with a nod. "Both of them have teams who specialize in evasion and stealth, so the level of danger present will be lower as long as they take care."

"And your front-line squad?" Hiruzen prompted as he finished checking over Konohamaru for any injuries.

"Trained to overcome any enemy that they will encounter and to escape any that they cannot defeat." Gai proclaimed proudly. "I believe in my team and their flames of youth!"

"…scary…" Konohamaru shuddered as the light seemed to _ting_ off Gai's grin.

"Naruto, I'll have one of my ANBU drop off the mission scroll I was going to give you while I take my grandson home." Hiruzen said as he turned to leave. "You'll be using your clones and I've had a box of tags brought out of storage for this."

Naruto blinked in confusion.

What was going on?

.

"Aaaaaaaagh! Crazy dango snake lady!"

The kunoichi in question stared at him for an instant before pointing back at Naruto.

"Aaaaaaaagh! Crazy orange ramen brat!"

"…you know, I've never _had_ Orange Ramen before…" Naruto mused, still pointing at Anko. "Also… brat?"

"Brat." Anko confirmed with a wide grin. "But a damned impressive one, I've _never_ had a genin manage to lose _me_ before."

"I cheated." Naruto shrugged, finally lowering his hand and patting the box sat on the table by his side. "So, according to the mission scroll, I'm to help repair the special cameras in Area 44, during which time special tags will be placed between the mountings and the branches, since that's the one place that no-one ever bothers to look."

Anko opened the box and pulled out a bundle of tags. Her professional gaze scanned the complex seals written on it, then her eyes opened in shock.

"These are…"

"The reason that I was assigned to the job as well." Namaishi Raido said from where he was leaning against the wall in a pose that looked like he was relaxed, but which let him unsheathe his sword without problem if he deemed it necessary. "Thanks to the brat's little trick, the three of us can now operate independently."

Anko stared at the Tokubetsu Jonin in shock. "Wait, you can do what the Yondaime did?"

"No." Raido said with a head-shake as he plucked the bundle of tags from Anko's hand. "But I can do _this_."

Two _Kage Bunshin_ appeared in a cloud of smoke and moved to flank their creator.

"I'll start from the tower and circle outwards." Raido said as he extended his hands to meet those of his clones. "You start from the edge and spiral in. Naruto can get more tags for you whenever you run out."

Before Anko could say anything, Raido and his clones vanished in a flash of light.

"…damn." Anko breathed in amazement. "If the other villages find out about that, they'll totally _freak_. And _you_ came up with that trick?"

"I tend to use clones for loads of things." Naruto shrugged. "It just worked. My clones can transport people, but without a _real_ person to dampen the chakra fluctuations, they dispel on arrival. So, shall we get started?"

Anko nodded as Naruto pulled a new set of tags from the box.

"The cameras are located in strategic areas." She said as she led him out of the room. "There's no way to cover the entire forest, the power requirements alone would cause the rest of Konoha to go dark, but we've put a camera on each of the primary choke-points, the entry gates, the ten biggest glades and a couple at various points of the river…"

Naruto listened carefully as he followed the Kunoichi to where the first camera was mounted.

.

* * *

.

"Brat did good work today." Anko said as she took a sip of her Sake. "Too kind-hearted, though. Gonna have to look elsewhere for an apprentice."

Raido lifted an eyebrow at her. "You? Take an apprentice? Anko, given how you act, your hypothetical apprentice would probably do something like declare publicly that he or she was going to build a harem or something. Probably in the middle of a giant fight."

"Heh." Anko chuckled. "As long as I was in position to see everyone's faces, it could be quite funny. I wonder if any of the brat's old class-mates want extra tutoring?"

"You could try the Uchiha." Raido said after several minutes thought. "Kakashi's doing better at training his team than I expected, but he's still late in the mornings. Give the other two something to do… I think I remember something about the Haruno girl taking up medical duties and traps… or was that the Yamanaka?"

"Both, sort of." A new voice supplied as Inoichi sat down. "My daughter's becoming quite the Poison and Trap Mistress while her friend Sakura is training herself to be a combat Iryonin. I'd quite appreciate it if you _didn't_ try to approach them in your _Crazy Anko_ persona, though. My little princess probably doesn't need the extra stress at this time."

"As the Second Stage Proctor, I'm not allowed to anyway." Anko sighed. "I delayed getting a minion for the chance to mentally screw over a bunch of brats. Well, mentally screw them in addition to what Ibiki's planning, anyway. Wait, poison _and_ traps? How did your daughter get into _those_ specialties? They're not normal Yamanaka branches."

"I think I heard you talking about the reason." Inoichi smirked and Anko's eyes widened.

"Wait… _Op Force_?"

"He's quite a trap master himself, these days." Inoichi chuckled. "He and Ino seem to have taken to testing each others traps… it's getting quite dangerous to even knock on her door in the morning these days."

.

Ino froze in the doorway and glared at the solitary chocolate placed in the exact center of her pillow.

She knew that underneath the pillow would be a couple of sheets of paper detailing how Naruto had bypassed her traps, but for now, her attention was on the chocolate.

Her favorite brand.

How the _hell_ had he found out? Even Sakura didn't know.

Giving up, she stalked across to her bed and picked up the chocolate, unwrapping it and popping it into her mouth. Thus fortified, she reached under the pillow and pulled out the pages Naruto had left her.

Maybe she could reverse-engineer some of his techniques and then try to get him back.

Sooner or later she was going to make it through _his_ defenses without finding herself covered in fish-guts, glued to the wall, hit with a liquid that partially dissolved her clothes, pinned to a giant magnet by her kunai pouch or anything else like that.

And she'd laugh when she finally managed to catch him in that lemon and paperclip trap.

Revenge would be so sweet.

.

Sasuke sneezed and looked round suspiciously, activating his _sharingan_ to check that none of his fan-girls had followed him home in order to peak through his window again.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi blinked as he saw all three of his genin glaring at him.

"I'm sorry I'm late…" He began, only for Sakura to clench her fists.

"Sensei," Sasuke began, taking the role of team leader, "We would appreciate it if you would allow us to enter the Chunin Exams. Although we have agreed that we are unlikely to get promoted this time round, undergoing the exam will help us work out which areas we need to improve the most."

Kakashi beamed. " _Very_ good! That's what I like to see, _teamwork_. You've talked about it and made a decision which you then approached me about. I am so proud of you! I'll get the papers for you."

Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves and Tobio sighed.

"Well, that's the next few hours without him again. So, should we try and find a Jonin willing to train us for a bit?"

"How about a Sage?" A voice asked just behind them, causing all three Genin to jump in shock, spinning round to confront the new arrival.

"Jiraiya." Sakura half-stated, half-sighed.

"Yep, I have some time to kill and my other student is currently working with perhaps the only Kunoichi in Konoha that _I'm_ scared of. That _genjutsu_ of hers…"

Jiraiya broke off with a shudder, then smiled down at the bemused teens.

"So, give me a quick overview of your roles so I can help you get better while we're waiting for Kashi-kun to return."

Sakura burst into gales of laughter while Tobio snickered.

"Kashi-kun..."


	23. Arrivals At Konoha

"Konohagakure." The leader of the group of four stated as the top of the wall came into view.

"Long trip." Grumbled the boy in the one-piece catsuit, only for him to be given a dope-slap by the blond girl walking beside him. "Dammit, Temari! What was that for?"

"You're _always_ grumbling, Kankuro!" Temari shot back. "Can't you just shut up for once?"

"Sensei, please tell her to stop hitting me." Kankuro whined.

"She's _your_ sister, she's allowed to."

"Thanks, Baki-Sensei." Temari chirped as Kankuro sulked.

As the hut beside the gates came into view, Baki turned his head so that his single eye was gazing at the final member of the team, a red-headed youth carrying a huge gourd on his back.

"Gaara, remember your father's orders." He said and the boy gave him a dead-eyed glare. "Those bandits were the last people you're allowed to kill without orders. Until I tell you otherwise, keep that bloodlust of yours under control. Understood?"

"Yes… Sensei…"

Baki stared at him for another long moment before giving a sharp nod.

"Good. Now, I want all three of you on your best behaviour while we're here. We can't afford to get caught up in anything unplanned."

The two taller genin nodded while Gaara just growled. Baki nodded again and increased his pace slightly, forcing the trio to follow.

"Let me do the talking."

Gaara didn't bother to respond, but Baki nodded anyway and turned his attention to the duo behind the guard hut's desk.

"Good morning. Team Baki from Suna, here to participate in the Chunin Exams."

.

* * *

.

"Konoha." Zabuza stated, shifting his sword slightly. "It's not too late to pull out, but then I'd have to beat the cowardice out of you."

"I believe that my team-mates would prefer to enter the exams, Zabuza-sama."

"Dammit, Haku. It's Zabuza- _Sensei_ these days, how many times must I tell you?"

"At least once more… Zabuza-sama."

Zabuza growled as he glanced back at the other two. Suigetsu was taking another swig out of his surprisingly small water bottle and Zabuza felt a surge of satisfaction at having managed to get a seal-lined one that could hold almost a thousand liters _and_ slowly refill from atmospheric water, enough to let Suigetsu use all of the clan techniques he knew.

Damn thing had been expensive, though.

Chojuro was looking somewhat nervous, although the training that Zabuza had put him through had already made a considerable difference. The muscles on his arms showed their definition even through his sleeves and he could fight for almost two hours, despite the weight of his sword.

"Zabuza-sama, I believe that it may be best if _I_ deal with the guards." Haku demurred. "We both know how much you dislike paperwork."

Zabuza nodded. That one fireball jutsu he had learned (which had, ironically enough, been stolen from the Uchiha) had become infamous in Mist as the _Paperwork Destroyer_.

Along with the fact that to Zabuza, _three_ pieces of paper constituted too much paperwork and was thus a reason to use the aforementioned jutsu.

"Fine." He growled. "The faster we get in, the faster I can point out the son of the Yondaime to you. If he's even a _tenth_ as good as his dad, even _I_ would be in trouble against him."

"So… stay polite?" Suigetsu queried.

"Then run like hell." Zabuza confirmed. "Screaming like a little girl is optional."

Zabuza mentally smirked at the expressions on the faces of the two genin, then turned back to Haku.

Who was no longer there.

"Thank you for your help, Shinobi-sama." Haku's voice said and Zabuza half-turned to see him at the gatehouse, accepting back the paperwork that Zabuza _knew_ the genin hadn't been carrying earlier.

"Huh." Zabuza grunted as he checked his vest pocket and found it empty. "He's getting damn good at that."

Zabuza moved forwards, then froze as he saw just _who_ was in the guardhouse.

"Oh. Fuck."

The smaller of the two figures looked at Zabuza and waved.

"Hi! How did it go with the Mizukage?"

"Pretty well." Zabuza managed. "Just what the _hell_ are _you_ doing on gate duty?"

"I'm a clone." The blond laughed. "Boss has several dozen more of us with the instant reaction platoon…"

"So if you pop, the platoon'll be here within seconds." Zabuza sighed. "Fuck. You're getting even scarier than you were in Wave."

"Thanks."

"Wasn't a compliment." Zabuza grumbled as he stomped past the amused clone.

"So, should we be running yet?" Suigetsu asked, earning a growl from his Sensei.

.

* * *

.

Akatsuchi lumbered forwards, grumbling under his breath and his normal cheerful disposition in abeyance.

"Sensei?"

"Yes, Shimaru?"

"You seem… unhappy…"

Akatsuchi looked at the heavily-armored stocky teen for a moment, then he nodded.

"We're headed for the village that managed to capture my cousin and the entire team she was leading, without any serious injuries on their side."

The other two genin, twins Dori and Gura, simply looked at him curiously. The siblings were unusual in that they were archers, although Akatsuchi had gone out of his way to ensure that they were at least proficient in the other standard disciplines of an Iwa Shinobi. Too much specialization was generally a quick way to get promoted to chunin and then, as the saying went, promoted to glory just as fast.

Shimaru's skill with the tetsubo matched the twins archery almost perfectly, meaning that while they stayed back and sniped at the enemies, he would take advantage of their aiming skills and smash into the enemies, taking the few return blows on his steel armor.

It was a technique that had worked so far.

"How?" Shimaru asked in shock. "I've seen her fight… how did she…?"

"One of the genin involved is a trap specialist. Another can use the Yondaime Hokage's _Hiraishin_ to teleport reinforcements to where they're needed. Kurotsuchi and her unit went up against two Jonin and six genin that they knew about… and another Jonin and three genin that they _didn't_. Since the unknowns were Maito Gai, _the_ taijutsu specialist of Konoha and his team… yeah."

Shimaru winced in sympathy.

"Once we get settled in, I'll walk you through the files." Akatsuchi added. "The only good piece of news is that you won't be going up against the _Hiraishin_ user, he's part of Konoha's Genin Pool and not on one of their teams."

"Sensei, what do you mean"/"that he isn't on a team?"

"Just that." Akatsuchi stated. "Konoha prefers to place its so-called _elite_ genin in teams to train them up for command. This one… _Naruto_ , was placed in the Genin Pool which is where those who aren't seen as being outstanding end up and of which only a few get promoted out of."

"By the thousand Kamis!" Shimaru breathed. "He can do the _Hiraishin_ and they _don't_ see him as outstanding? What the hell are we getting ourselves into here?"

" _Now_ you start to understand why I don't like this." Akatsuchi grunted.

"And why we got assigned"/"to the Tsuchikage's bodyguard."

"Please stop doing that. It's annoying."

The twins smirked at each other and Akatsuchi grumbled under his breath about annoying genin and how irritating they could be.

.

* * *

.

"Team Raishi from the newly-formed Village Hidden In The Sound." Orochimaru said from behind his false face as he handed the paperwork over to one of the two chunin behind the desk. The duo were a pair that he recognized on sight, although the last time he had seen them, they had been genin. "My team are Abumi Zaku, Tsuchi Kin and Genin Leader Kinuta Dosu."

The trio of genin lined up behind him nodded to indicate which one of them was which as Hagane Kotetsu leafed through the pages, his eyes darting between the pictures on the sheets and the genin of whom the pictures were of.

"Very well." He said slowly as his partner, Kamizake Izumo, pulled out four tags and passed them across the desk. "Everything seems to be in order, so welcome to Konoha. Please remember that any violent acts by you or your team will be investigated and should you prove to be at fault, you will be asked to leave. I see that you have already arranged for accommodation for your time here, so all I can say is good luck and I hope you do well."

"Thank you." Orochimaru smiled. "I have every trust in my team and I am certain that they will prove that Otogakure is a village worth taking notice of."

"I'm sure that Konoha will look on your progress with interest." Izumo responded diplomatically and Orochimaru waved for his genin to follow him through the gate.

As they walked through the bustling streets of the hidden village, his genin played their roles perfectly, looking round curiously, but without either looking like they were seeking out tactical information for the upcoming invasion or looking like it was the first shinobi village they had ever been in, either of which could have caused certain… _complications_ for his plan.

"Our hotel should be… _that_ way." Orochimaru said, playing his own role as _visiting Jonin who had memorized the file his village had on Konoha_. "Tomorrow, I shall check in with the supervisors to get the details we still need for the exams.

As the trio of genin nodded in acceptance of his words, Orochimaru caught a glimpse of an ANBU vanishing, having obviously overheard his comments.

Konoha shinobi were just so predictable…

.

* * *

.

"Ino!"

Ino quickly hung up her newest top in her wardrobe as her father's voice echoed up the stairs. Pausing to close her weapons cabinet (and thus prevent the sunlight from reaching and reducing the effectiveness of the poisoned senbon), she quickly descended to find out what her father wanted.

"I'm here- _oof_!"

A somehow-familiar pair of arms wrapped around her as their owner glomped her, causing her to go from a near-run to a staggering stop.

"Good afternoon, Ino." Tsunami smiled from the corner sofa, where she and Yamanaka Ayaka were sipping tea. "When Inari heard that I was undertaking a trip here to see if my father's company could help out at all, he wanted to come and say hello."

Ino looked down at Inari, who had released her and was grinning up at her, then she glanced over at her father, who was trying (and failing) to hide his amusement.

"Hello, Inari." Ino finally said, smiling at the younger boy. "Tsunami-san. How's your father?"

"He's doing fine." Tsunami smiled. "Trying to plan his next project, but at the moment, all that really needs doing is simple house-building for the new people moving into Wave. With the harbor rebuilt and new warehouses, the amount of trans-shipping and trade has really grown."

"Ino, since I need a few things from the market, could you and Inari-kun go get them for me?" Ayaka asked, holding up a shopping list and nodding to a small purse. Ino accepted the list and glanced at it.

"Sure thing, mum. This shouldn't take too long."

"Well, I think you should show Inari around Konoha first." Ayake suggested, her mouth twitching as she suppressed a smile and Ino's eyes narrowed.

"Mother, just what are you…"

"Hey, Ino. I see you've got your toyboy again." Shikamaru joked from behind her and Ino almost reflexively threw a trio of knockout senbon at him. "Whoah! That almost hit me!"

Ino glared at the smirking boy who was peeping in around the senbon-pierced doorframe.

"Shi. _Ka_. MA. _RU_!"

The shadow-user vanished and Ino lunged after him before realizing that she was holding Inari's hand. Firing a glare at her father, who had raised a hand to cover his mouth, she scooped up the purse with her free hand and stalked out of the door. As soon as Inari had vanished through the door behind her, the three adults burst out laughing.

"You realize she'll be using _you_ for target practice when she finds out that you warned Shika-kun?" Ayaka managed to ask despite her giggling and Inoichi nodded.

"Worth it."


	24. Home Of A Genin

"I still can't get over how cool your den is." Kiba stated as he glanced around. "I mean, my den's only about as big as your bedroom… balcony… level… thing…"

"Bedroom area?" Hinata supplied and Kiba nodded.

"Yep, that. Sure, my den's walls go straight up rather than in, but this place is like _loads_ bigger."

"Thanks, Kiba." Naruto called from where he and a clone were finishing putting the meal together. "So, I heard that you're all entering the chunin exams?"

"That would be an accurate summation of our finalized decision." Shino droned. "Although we do not expect to attain the rank of chunin this time through, it will allow us to modify our skill-sets in order to ensure our next attempts are more successful."

"Speak for yourself." Kiba countered. "I think we're gonna _blast_ through, especially with how good Hinata's got! I've had to get _really_ good if I want to keep up with her."

Hinata blushed at Kiba's off-hand compliment.

"Naruto-kun… father agrees that if I keep expanding my reserves at the current rate, I'll probably be able to do the _Kage Bunshin_ unassisted within the next two months." Hinata supplied.

"So you'll be able to clone him?" Kiba asked, only for both Naruto and Hinata to shake their heads.

"When I clone someone, I clone their chakra levels too." Naruto explained. "If the person has more than half my chakra level, I can't clone them. I just don't have enough chakra to make a stable clone. If I have _less_ chakra than whoever I'm trying to clone… well, I don't even want to _think_ about what might happen then."

Kiba winced and Shino raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"It occurs to me that Maito Gai is known to use the chakra-enhancement technique known as the Eight Gates…"

"Already studying it." Naruto confirmed. "Two gates already openable and the third… I should be able to finally open it by the time that the exams actually start. Oddly, if I try to clone someone who is using one of the Gates, the clone pops _instantly_. We think it's because using the Gates can damage the user. My healing factor really helps out with that. Serving up!"

Naruto and his clone busied themselves with the various dishes while the three guests rose from the various sofas and moved across to the table.

"Alright." Naruto said as he created two more clones who promptly started the washing up. "Here we are."

Kiba licked his lips as Naruto and his clone brought the food across.

"Red bean soup for Hinata." Naruto smiled, placing the steaming bowl in front of his fiancee. "For Kiba, grilled beef with a bacon side, a wild green salad for Shino and for myself, another bowl of red bean soup. For Akamaru, prime beef and pork cuts. Dig in."

" _Itadakimasu_!" The four chorused before they applied themselves to their dinners. For several long minutes, the only noises were those of eating.

"This is _incredible_." Kiba finally said after swallowing a large chunk of beef. "How did you get this? It's aged to perfection, the flavor's _amazing_ …"

"I used the _Hiraishin_ to pop over to Wave." Naruto shrugged. "The market there has loads of things that are hard to get here. Apparently several new farms and ranches have started up to supply the increasing demand for new foodstuffs. The beef is from a breed of bull shipped over from the Land of Mystical Stones. Tsunami was kind enough to recommend a couple of the merchants there."

"Damn, it's good." Kiba agreed fervently. "Naruto, you're the _best_ friend ever!"

Shino shifted slightly and Kiba gave him a _look_. "What? Don't tell me you aren't enjoying that food."

"It is… filling." Shino admitted and Hinata giggled.

"That means he _really_ likes it." She whispered to Naruto, who nodded in understanding.

"Watch out for those leaves on the left, they're peppery."

Shino nodded. "I have become aware of that particular feature. They go very well with the tomatoes."

"So, if you're not entering the exams, what are _you_ doing?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Helping out." Naruto smiled. "And I'm sorry, but it's classified. Apropos of nothing, you may wish to confirm your camping scrolls are well-stocked, especially the medical kits."

"I shall pay close attention to the scrolls you mentioned, Naruto-san." Shino said with a slight nod of his head.

"You know," Kiba suddenly said, "If my mom finds out you can get meat like this, she'll be hiring you almost constantly to bring the bulls back for her."

"Feel free to tell her." Naruto laughed. "In fact, there's some spare meat left over. Once she tastes that, my future income'll be secured."

Kiba gave him a surprised look, then started to laugh.

.

* * *

.

"Naruto!"

Naruto blinked, then turned round just in time to intercept a highly-excited projectile.

"Good afternoon, Inari, how're you finding Konoha?"

"It's great!" Inari grinned. "The Yamanaka clan put us up while mom does her business things for gramps. The Inuzuka clan are interested in getting gramps and his men over to rebuild several of their den blocks, they're not that good at woodworking."

"Good to hear." Naruto replied. "I know I'm taking your mother back to Wave soon, but are you staying all the way to the final stage?"

"Nah." Inari sighed. "We're staying just long enough to see Ino and her team start, then we're heading back until just before the final stage."

"Inari, why'd you run off like… oh. Okay. Hi, Naruto." Ino said as she walked up to them, her team trailing behind. "Inari's tagging along for the day, he's deciding if he wants to become a ninja."

"It's pretty hard." Inari agreed. "I mean, being able to leap from roof to roof and so on will be really cool, but I've only just unlocked my chakra coils and I'm still struggling with the leaf exercise."

"I still can't do that one very well." Naruto admitted. "It's weird, I can water-walk, tree-walk, perform jutsu that would leave anyone else so drained that they wouldn't be able to move, but the leaf exercise? Still struggling."

"Weird." Inari agreed, then he clapped his hand over his mouth as Ino started to laugh.

"Inari being troublesome?" Shikamaru asked with a smirk and the young boy glared at him. "Oh, don't worry. You're not the only brat hanging around with a team."

"Really?" Naruto asked curiously and Choji laughed.

"The Hokage's grandson seems to have taken to trying to keep up with a certain Jonin's apprentice…"

"I _have_ to see this." Naruto smiled. "Where is he?"

.

"YOSH!"

"Yo... hosh…"

Naruto stared in near-disbelief at the sight before him. Team 9 were doing their standard cool-downs, but in addition to the three genin, a trio of academy students were doing their utmost to follow the teens examples.

"Naruto!" Gai shouted as he stopped doing vertical one-handed push-ups, flipping into a somersault that let him land lightly on his feet. "It is good to see you again! My students have been preparing for the exams by practicing training others, a vital skill for any shinobi to learn!"

Naruto nodded as he looked at the exhausted students.

"I recognize Konohamaru, but who are the other two?"

"They are Udon, a budding genius of tactics, and Moegi who is eager to learn the ways of speed and agility, turning even the most taxing of battles into the poetry of motion! I have already reported to the Hokage that I believe that they should be marked as a potential team!"

Naruto nodded. "It's almost a shame that I probably won't be a Jonin by the time they graduate, it'd certainly be interesting to guide their progress."

"You understand one of the most rewarding paths available." Gai agreed. "The greatest of triumphs a teacher may attain is to be surpassed by their students. Excuse me, please."

Naruto watched with a bemused expression as Gai walked over to the young trio and crouched down, talking to them quietly, then he waved for Lee to join him before walking back to Naruto.

"May I ask for a small favor?"

"Of course." Naruto shrugged and Gai motioned to the trio of prone children.

"My team wishes to do one more mission to earn some extra money, but my other students need to return home. If you could loan Lee one of your father's kunai…"

"Then he can visit the three in order and I can use clones to send them to him before he rejoins you at the mission desk." Naruto said, pulling one of the _Hiraishin_ kunai out of his pouch.

"You follow my plan perfectly." Gai grinned, the light seeming to sparkle off his teeth.

"Gai-sensei, what do you have planned for me to do?" Lee asked as he jogged up.

"I have a task for you, Lee." Gai declaimed. "You are to run first to Udon's house, then to Moegi's and finally to Konohamaru's. At each house, you are to drop this kunai on the ground, then when the student in question appears before you, you are to hand him or her to their guardians before collecting the kunai and going to the next location. Afterwards, return the Kunai to Naruto and then meet us at the tower."

"Yes, Gai-Sensei!" Lee exulted, accepting the Kunai. "I shall do it now!"

As the green-clad teen seemed to blur away, Naruto created nine clones who moved to take positions around the children.

"Let's see how long he… wow! That was fast!" Naruto gasped as the first group of clones activated the technique that transported Udon back to his house.

Gai's smile widened as his other two students joined him.

"I shall leave them in your capable hands, Naruto-san." Gai stated with a slight bow. "Come, my students, let us fan our flames of youth with another mission!"

As if he had planned it, his declaration was punctuated by the bright flash of Moegi being sent to her house.

.

* * *

.

"Hey, ramen-brat."

"Crazy snake-lady." Naruto nodded back and Anko unleashed a bark of laughter.

"We're getting close to seeing the brats beating the snot out of each other." Anko said as a looming figure appeared behind her, seeming to simply materialize out of the shadows. "My boss wants to talk to you about that."

"Thank you, Anko." The tall man rumbled as he stepped into the light, his scarred face not showing a single emotion. "Uzumaki."

Naruto managed to swallow despite his suddenly-dry throat as he recognized the head of the Torture and Interrogation division. "Morino-san."

"Excellent." Ibiki said with a slight nod. "Walk with me."

Naruto moved to walk beside the taller man, glancing up to try and see if there were any clues about what he wanted.

"Do not worry, Uzumaki, you are not in trouble." Ibiki said, the corner of his mouth briefly quirking upwards. "As head of T&I, reports of your actions on the Wave mission came to my attention, especially your usage of the _Hiraishin_. It is that skill which I wish to hire you for."

"Sir?"

Ibiki glanced down at him, then looked ahead once more. "The first stage of the exams is meant to test the participants in many ways. Their ability to acquire information at a level that a civilian wouldn't notice, the determination to continue a mission to the end, trust in their team-mates abilities to see the mission through. But underpinning all of that is personal courage.  
"I am well-known amongst the other villages. I know that many shinobi outside the Land of Fire have nightmares about facing me. The rumors of my sadism and ability to destroy resistance without laying a hand on them are widespread… part of which is because _I_ helped to spread them.  
"Should I appear at the front of the room, apparently using the _Hiraishin_ , the technique previously believed by many to have died with the Yondaime…"

"You'll need to call in cleaners to mop up the evidence they leave behind." Naruto supplied and Ibiki's lips quirked into a brief smile again.

"Correct. Will you do it?"

Naruto frowned slightly. "Pay?"

"High D-rank."

"I want to be there to see their faces."

"The Invigilators are all chunin… but I believe I can make an exception. You will need to wear the same uniform as them, though."

"Then we have a deal." Naruto agreed. "When do you need me… and _where_?"

Ibiki smirked. "Two hours before the test begins, meet me at the Hokage Tower in meeting room three. And Naruto…"

Naruto looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Be aware, I shall be watching your actions... with _interest_."

As he finished, Ibiki stepped into a shadow and seemed to melt away, leaving Naruto to wipe away the sudden cold sweat.

"Damn, he's creepy when he wants to be."

.

From where he was standing in a cloaking _genjutsu_ , Ibiki smirked at Naruto's shaking whisper.

' _I've still got it.'_


	25. The Teams Assemble

"Good luck." Tsunami said, giving Ino and her team a smile and small bow. Inari was less restrained and shook both Shikamaru and Choji's hands before hugging Ino.

"We'll be back to see you kicking ass in a month!" He grinned up at her and Ino smiled despite herself.

"I'll look forwards to it."

"We have to go now." Tsunami said after a moment and Inari sighed as he released Ino.

"Be good." Ino smiled. "And remember those exercises."

Inari nodded, then waved as three of the six Naruto clones who had been waiting nearby took position around him. A few seconds later, he and his mother vanished in flashes of golden light.

"Damn, missing him already, the annoying little brat." Ino muttered under her breath, then she inhaled deeply and squared her shoulders. "Alright! Let's get going!"

"I agree." Shikamaru yawned as he ambled forwards. "After all, you don't want to diappoint your toyboy. _Yipe_!"

Choji shook his head as Shikamaru sprinted off, showing far more energy than any other Nara, pursued hotly by a cursing Ino.

"Hey, guys!" He shouted as he broke into a deceptively fast run. "Wait for me!"

.

"I'm here!" Kiba shouted as he bounded onto the training field. "Sorry, had to deal with a slight issue. Mom was trying to get me to tell her where I got the meat."

"Why did you not divulge that information?" Shino asked and Kiba smirked.

"Because the way I see it, I can get her to pay me to get more, then I can hire Naruto to get it. He gets paid, I get a slice of the cash and some of the meat and mom gets what she wants. Total win!"

"Clever." Hinata said in approval. "Are you ready?"

"Let's kick ass!"

"I believe myself to be suitably prepared for the task ahead of us."

"Then let's do this." Hinata stated, leading her team towards the distant Academy.

"You know," Kiba mused, "You're really starting to use more Naruto-isms."

"I also have perceived the ongoing modification of your vocabulary."

Hinata blushed as she tried to ignore the gentle teasing of her friends.

.

"Yosh! Let us show our flames of youth!"

"Lee!" Tenten growled, grabbing her team-mate by the shoulder. "Remember the plan! We pretend to be weak until we can see which of the other teams could be a threat to us. Remember that!"

"…hai."

Neji smirked slightly, then his face went blank as Tenten turned her glare onto him.

"I am not concerned." He stated. "We are fated to win, it is our destiny."

"Unless we have to go up against _Op Force_ on his own turf." Tenten pointed out, causing both boys to wince in memory.

"I have been studying the manual of traps." Neji admitted. "For an Uchiha, Madara was indeed very inventive, a most unusual thing given the way the Uchiha operated back then."

Tenten raised an eyebrow and Neji took it as his cue to expand on his comment.

"Back in the Clan War days, before Konohagakure was founded and showed the way for other Hidden Villages, the Uchiha and the Senju were often fighting each other. The Senju had a tendency to use unique jutsu which the Uchiha copied with their _Sharingan_ and used against them. However, the ability to copy jutsu meant that very few of the Uchiha ever actually attempted to create new jutsu for their own use. Why should they expend all that effort when they could simply watch someone else? Madara was one of the very few who were known to actually innovate, which is why he was such a fearsome adversary. Unlike the majority of the Uchiha, he was not predictable."

"Huh." Tenten finally managed. "Any idea where I can get a copy of that book from?"

"I shall consult the clan archivist after the exam." Neji promised.

"Thanks, Neji."

.

"Sasuke." Sakura said in greeting.

"Sakura." Sasuke replied.

The two genin nodded at each other, then a third voice shouted a name.

"Tobio!"

Both genin stared at their team-mate who shrugged.

"What? I was feeling left out."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, then turned to look at the building they had gathered in front of.

"There seem to be quite a few teams here from other villages." He mused. "I wonder how many of them have techniques I can copy?"

"As long as you don't copy mine." Tobio shrugged. "Or Sakura's."

"We've already discussed this." Sasuke pointed out. "Anything I copy from you, I won't use without permission."

"Just checking." Tobio shrugged. "After all, during that mission to Tanzuka Quarters, you had to use the Oriok- _umph_!"

"That. Never. Happened." Sasuke growled and Tobio nodded. A moment passed, then Sasuke removed his hand from Tobio's mouth.

"Can we go in now?" Sakura asked and both boys exchanged glances before nodding.

"Where is the exam?"

"Room… three zero one." Sakura said, checking the application form. "There seems to be quite a queue forming on the main stairs… detour round? There's a second set of stairs around that way which cross-connects."

"She's the brains." Tobia agreed and Sasuke nodded slowly.

"Sakura, you have lead."

Sakura glanced round to see if anyone was watching them before scurrying to the corner of the building.

"The door's locked." She reported, glancing round.

"I got this." Tobio smirked as he pulled out a roll of fabric and unrolled it to reveal odd-shaped bits of metal in small pockets. "I learned how to pick locks back in the orphanage, the matron kept us on short rations to try and pocket extra money for herself. Heh, rumor had it that she sold some of the kids to a secret organisation to be brainwashed… come to think of it, I never did find out what happened to Shin and his younger brother… easy does it… according to the older kids, Naruto was once at the orphanage as well, but he was taken away after being locked outside one time too many, and then the matron… aha!"

The lock clicked and Tobio returned his tools to their pockets as Sasuke peeked through.

"Clear, but I don't remember this corridor…"

"I do, it's one that's only used to get to the storerooms." Sakura supplied as she slipped past him. "The stairs we want are _this_ way."

"I wonder how the others are doing?" Tobio mused.

.

"Damn morons." Suigetsu groused as he shoved his way through the crowd gathered outside the door, glancing up at the number. "Get out of our way!"

"Suigetsu…" Haku said warningly and the white-haired genin cringed.

"Heh, what a scaredy-cat." One of the nearby genin sneered. "If you're the strongest that the Hidden Mist has, that civil war must have pretty much destroyed your forces. Heh, means more missions for us."

"Yeah?!" Suigetsu half-shouted. "At least we of the mist don't get fooled by a half-assed genjutsu that changes a two into a three!"

The mob of genin went silent and Haku face-palmed.

"Dammit, Suigetsu! When will you learn to keep your mouth closed!"

"Thanks, kid." The Kumo genin sneered as he and his team headed towards the stairs. "Keep it up and your own team-mates'll take you down to stop you from stabbing yourself in the foot like that."

Suigetsu shuddered as he met Haku's gaze. "…help…"

"Haku, you can slap him down later." Chojuro said as he stepped up. "Let's just get to the real exam room."

"Why would they even _have_ a crappy illusion like that, anyway?" Suigetsu asked as they joined the flow of genin.

"So that those who don't know how to detect such things don't get to the proper exam, since they obviously aren't prepared." A voice said and Suigetsu looked round to see a boy with pineapple-style hair slouching along beside him, his arm-mounted Hitai-ate boasting the swirled leaf of Konoha.

"Oh. I… didn't think of that."

"I think you could drop the last two words and it would be _more_ accurate." Haku stated and Suigetsu winced.

"I'm going to be hearing about this for a long time, aren't I?"

"Your team-mates seem to be almost as troublesome as mine." The Konoha genin sighed. "Well, see you round."

The boy dropped back and Suigetsu swallowed nervously as he saw Haku twirling an ice senbon between his fingers.

"…I'm sorry?"

.

"Over there." Sasuke stated and his team made their way through the milling genin to where two other teams were standing in the corner.

"Hey, you made it!" Kiba exclaimed. "Great!"

"It would have been troublesome if they hadn't." Shikamaru sighed as his shadow snapped out and snagged Ino before she could glomp Sasuke.

"Thanks, Shika." Sasuke said as he stepped to one side, allowing a grinning Tobio to take his place. Ino stared in horror as Tobio spread his arms ready to hug her, then Shikamaru released his shadow-hold and Ino stumbled forwards, unable to avoid crashing into Tobio.

"No _no_ no _no_ no… get off me!"

"Awwww, and there I was thinking I was finally getting a fangirl of my own." Tobio mock-mourned as Ino wriggled free, then he ducked Ino's punch. "Hey!"

"Enough, Ino-pig." Sakura said as she caught Ino's fist. "Only _I_ am allowed to hit him like that."

"Yea… _hey_!"

"You know, you are attracting attention." A new voice said and Ino half-turned to see an older teen-aged boy with white hair and glasses smiling gently at them. "You wouldn't want to make yourselves into targets before the exam starts, would you now?"

"Who are you?" Kiba asked and the new arrival bowed slightly.

"Yakushi Kabuto, at your service. This is my seventh genin exam… I've had a bit of a run of bad luck over the last few years."

"Sounds like it." Tobio agreed. "So… any tips for us? Things _not_ to do?"

"Well, you've already attracted quite a bit of attention," Kabuto sighed, "So how about I help you learn about your competition. I made a set of ninja info cards containing information about all the genin entering the exam. Are there any you want to learn about?"

The nine genin exchanged glances, then Hinata blushed slightly.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Kabuto pulled a small deck of cards out of his tunic pocket and quickly riffled through them.

"I don't seem to have him… are you certain he's participating?"

"He's an Independent Genin." Sasuke supplied. "We've all gone up against him…"

"Ah, you mean _Op Force_!" Kabuto exclaimed, putting away his deck of cards and puling out another one. "Let me check my _Important Shinobi_ deck… here we are. Uzumaki _Op Force_ Naruto."

Kabuto put the card down on the desk and everyone looked at it.

"Parents unknown, skills are taijutsu medium to high, ninjutsu high, genjutsu low, no known bloodlimit and his weapons-work is medium to high with an emphasis on traps. He has done a hundred and fifteen D-ranks, three C-ranks and two A-rank missions. His primary techniques are the _Kage Bunshin_ and… the _Hiraishin_."

Tobio whistled. "Deyaaamn. Hey, what about Hinata here? He's engaged to her, right?"

Hinata nodded as Kabuto switched his cards and pulled one out.

"Hyuuga Hinata, parents are Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hitomi, deceased. My condolences. Team leader is Jonin Yuhi Kurenai, team-mates are Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and his ninken Akamaru. Skills are taijutsu medium to high, ninjutsu medium, genjutsu medium to high, medium to high level of control over her bloodlimit of the _byakugan_ and weapons-work low to medium. I see that you've done a dozen D-ranks, two C-ranks and an A-rank. Primary technique is a modified version of the _Jyuuken_ fighting style."

Hinata nodded in confirmation. "If we have time, Kabuto-san, can you tell us about the red-head over there? He has a great deal of chakra, more than most adults."

Kabuto glanced at the indicated boy, then shuffled through his deck.

"Red head from Suna… red head from Suna… red head fr- _aha_! Here we are. Gaara of the Desert, the youngest member of the Desert Siblings led by Jonin Baki. The other two are Kankuro and Temari. I don't have that much data on him since he's from Suna and this is his first exam, but he's done one B-rank mission and eight C-ranks. As the exams progress, I'll be able to update the card, but I have heard that he performed every single mission without getting a single scratch."

"He uses sand." Hinata supplied. "I saw a layer of sand covering his entire body, infused with his chakra. I couldn't see below that."

"Sand armor." Shino mused. "That would give him a considerable advantage under most circumstances… logically, his weaknesses would be _raiton_ and _suiton_ jutsu."

Kabuto put his cards away and looked round.

"I can see that there are representatives from almost every village here, even the new ones like…"

His comment was interrupted by a flash of golden light at the front of the room and everyone turned to see a tall man in a dark trenchcoat glaring at them from the front of a group of identically-clad examiners.

"Settle down!" He growled.


	26. Test Of A Genin

Naruto watched the screens along with the other invigilators, his attention on the corner where Hinata and the other members of the Rookie Nine (as they were being called) had congregated.

"Naruto, clones." Ibiki commanded and Naruto glanced round. Including himself, there were an even dozen to be transported and he wasn't going to be part of a transport ring himself, meaning that all the clones were going to dissipate during the process.

" _Taiju Kage Bunshin_!"

The room almost seemed to shrink as the number of bodies in the room quadrupled, the newly-created clones shifting around until they were all in position.

"Wait for my mark and remember to jump in formation." Ibiki stated, his eyes fixed on the screens. On the screen, Naruto saw the silver-haired genin who had been showing his friends something start to turn, then Ibiki nodded.

"They're starting to get nervous… _Hiraishin_ now!"

Naruto blinked as the world seemed to simply switch from the monitor room to the examination hall. Although his gaze was mostly blocked by virtue of being at the back of the goup, there was nothing wrong with his hearing and he hid a smirk as Ibiki gave his first command.

"Settle down."

The noise in the room plummeted to near-silence.

"My name is Morino Ibiki. Some of you have already heard of me. None of you have ever met me professionally before today. If you had, you would not be here now."

Naruto was astonished. The room had seemed to be quiet before, now it was almost singing with silence. Although he wasn't sure, he thought he could hear the heartbeat of the man beside him.

"My assistants will tell you where to sit. You will go there without complaint and be seated. There will be no complaints or questions until I tell you otherwise."

The group of invigilators split up and Naruto, remembering his _special_ briefing by Ibiki, ghosted backwards until he was standing in the corner, his eyes darting around the hall until he spotted Hinata. His fiancee was looking slightly worried, but she was drawing on an inner reserve to maintain her composure as she sat at her designated desk.

Ibiki waited motionless at the front of the stage, his lack of motion so pronounced that Naruto was wondering if he had somehow replaced himself with a statue, then he raised his head.

"The first stage of the Chunin Exams starts now." He said. "There is a test in front of you. If any of you have turned it over without instruction, you fail."

No-one moved and Ibiki nodded slowly.

"Good. This test comprises of ten questions. Nine of them are on the sheets in front of you, the tenth will be provided in fifty minutes time. This test lasts one hour and you will pass or fail as teams. Each team starts with ten points, two points will be subtracted every time one of you is caught cheating. Lose all your points and you are out of the exam.  
"Turn over your papers and begin."

Naruto unsealed his clipboard from the one-use storage seal on his belt and pulled a pencil from his sleeve. For a long moment, he let his gaze rest on Hinata, who was bent over her desk and writing an answer to the first question, then he turned his attention to the rest of the candidates, looking for any sign of cheating that even a civilian wouldn't be expected to miss.

.

Ibiki watched Naruto out of the corner of his eye as the young genin's gaze swept over the examinees. The son of the Yondaime was showing a surprising level of professionalism that Ibiki wouldn't have expected had he simply been going by the Academy records. Although he had been looking at his fiancee for a while, it hadn't impacted appreciably with the performance of his duty and as a former prankster, Naruto had a good idea of what to look out for.

"Number seventeen!" One of the examiners called out. "That was your fifth cheat, you and your team are out!"

"What!" The genin in question screeched as she rose in her seat, her forehead glinting with the Hitai-ate of Kusagakure. "You can't be seri…"

Her complaint was cut short by a trio of _Henge_ d Narute-clones looking just like Ibiki striding past him to surround her before all four vanished in a flash of light. Ibiki glanced at Naruto, whose fingers twitched in one of the variant codes.

_Training Field Five. Ever Genin There. Hold Until Release._

Although the syntax was slightly mangled, Ibiki had no trouble decoding it.

"Numbers one-fourteen and seventy-two, you will make your way to Training Field Five as that is where I sent your team-mate." He said, taking the credit for Naruto's actions. "Anyone else want to make a complaint? If so, I will send them to wait under the gaze of Maruboshi Kosuke until their team collects them."

The hall was totally silent and Ibiki gave a cruel smirk even as his hands, clasped behind his back, wriggled to send a message back to Naruto.

_Well done, repeat if needed. Next new plan, warn me first._

.

Naruto managed not to blush with embarrassment at Ibiki's gentle reproach, then he turned his gaze back to the genin being tested.

In another life, he might have been amongst them.

Which would have sucked, considering how it was only due to Hinata that he could now read properly.

.

* * *

.

"Alright." Ibiki growled, looking out at the assembled genin. Over the last three-quarters of an hour, their numbers had been winnowed by a full quarter, most of whom had chosen to leave quietly rather than have _Ibiki_ transport them out. "It is time for the tenth question, so put your pencils down for now.  
"Be aware, the rules have just changed. Fail to answer the tenth question correctly and not only will you be removed from this exam, you will be barred from taking the chunin exam ever again."

The genin stared at him, then several started to protest loudly before Ibiki held up one hand for silence.

"Those of you who believe that you are not ready to take this final question, you may leave without prejudice and will be allowed to take the exam again in the future. Those who choose to stay and get it wrong…"

From Naruto's position, he could only see a small fraction of Ibiki's gloating smirk, but it was enough to make him shiver.

"I'm out." One of the older genin said and Naruto blinked. He recognised him, and he was no genin!

Ibiki had placed several chunin amongst the genin, but why?

"I'm out as well." Another said and if that had been the signal, genin after genin declared that they were leaving, often with their team-mates snarling at them. Within five minutes, only fifteen teams remained in the room, one of which was Hinata's team, to Naruto's gratification.

"Anyone else want to keep their career safe?" Ibiki asked and all the genin simply looked at him. "Then… congratulations, you all pass."

For a long moment, the silence of shock seemed to echo through the room, then it was broken by Kiba.

"What? But you never asked the question!"

"I did." Ibiki countered. "The decision as to whether you would stay and risk your future or leave to play it safe was the tenth question. Because at times, information is more important than life and on missions and on the battlefield, people risk their lives to get their hands on it."

Ibiki reached up and pulled off the bandana he was wearing, revealing that the top of his head was covered in puckered scars and several small holes.

"Important information in your hands can be a powerful weapon for your comrades and the village. A weapon that you will need to protect, no matter the cost.  
"The ability to be courageous and survive any hardship, those are the abilities needed to become a chunin. Those who can't put their destinies on the line, those who cling to the uncertain future of ' _there's always next year'_ and walk away from their chance, those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices do not deserve to become chunin!"

Naruto felt his heart tighten inside him as he considered whether he had the mental fortitude to withstand the torture that Ibiki had obviously undergone in the past. Even as he thought about it, Ibiki replaced his bandana.

"As it is, you have…" He began, only to be interrupted by a window exploding inwards. The projectile that had smashed through the glass pane blurred and resolved into a woman wearing mesh armor, a miniskirt, sandals and a trenchcoat while the darkness that had surrounded her was revealed to be a banner that she had used to shield herself from the glass fragments before throwing it so that the kunai at the top corners dug into the ceiling, spreading the banner. From Naruto's viewpoint, he could _just_ make out the writing on it.

_The sexy and single Proctor of the Second Exam  
_ _**Mitarashi Anko** _

"Listen up, scrubs!" She shouted, her eyes flicking over the remaining genin. "You've had it easy until now, but now is where the fun _really_ starts! _This_ is where you start shedding blood and running the risk of death!"

"You're early, Anko." Ibiki remarked as he stepped round the banner and Anko deflated slightly.

"Yeah, yeah." She grumbled. "I could see you were trying to find something else to say, so I decided to help you out and… wow. Only fifteen teams? Not bad."

"A few more and the second stage would have been made redundant." Ibiki commented and Anko glared at him.

"Hey, the ramen brat and I spent _ages_ setting it up and getting the backup plans in place." She groused, then she turned to smirk at the wary genin.

"So, you've all passed the first stage, well now you have to survive the second! It's a survival test lasting five days, so I hope you can grab your gear and get to Training Area 44 within the hour. If you're even one second late, you're out! What are you still doing here? Move!"

Naruto twitched, only for Ibiki to somehow shift to behind him without even seeming to move and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll have to let your girlfriend do this _without_ your help." Ibiki whispered to him. "Helping her now would cause her to question her skills for the rest of her life, wondering if her career was advancing only because of you and not anything that she did."

Naruto sighed and gave a reluctant nod as Hinata led her team out of the window, an action that several of the other teams promptly imitated.

"I know, it's just… I owe her so much… I've learned so much from her… reading, writing, chakra control and usage… what love is and the difference between love and a simple crush…"

"It's like she's your better half?" Ibiki supplied as Naruto fumbled for an explanation. "Then the best you can do for her is to trust her skill and ability."

"I do." Naruto protested and Ibiki smirked down at him.

"Not quite. You have some idea of what she is going up against and so you worry that she may not quite be good enough. But what does your heart say?"

Naruto relaxed. "That she'll do awesomely."

"Then keep that in mind. And if you tell _anyone_ that we had this talk…"

Ibiki trailed off and Naruto shrank away from the ghoul-like glare before he could prevent it.

"How did you get so good at that look?"

"I worked alongside a younger chunin named Tenzo for a while." Ibiki admitted. "He was naturally gifted at doing what we call _The Glare_. It's still better than mine."

"Brrrrr." Naruto shivered. "In that case, I hope that I _never_ have it directed at me."

"It is rather effective." Ibiki admitted. "Now I'd suggest heading over to the monitor room. Your clones will be _very_ useful there."


	27. Observations Of A Genin

Naruto looked around curiously at the setup in the basement that he had been escorted to.

"Welcome to the _*cough*_ Chunin Tower." A shinobi who looked slightly familiar said in greeting, turning away from one of the many groups of screens to face him. Naruto nodded back, then his gaze travelled past the man and to the screens behind him.

"Those are from the cameras that Anko-san and I put up." He said in recognition.

"They are indeed." Anko purred from behind him. "Hey, Hayate. Still coughing?"

Hayate nodded and Anko shrugged.

"The test starts in half an hour, I gotta be back at the meeting point. Naruto, there's a shielded spot behind the tent with one of your tags in it…"

"I got it." Naruto said after a moment's concentration, then three clones popped into existence.

"Damn, not even a hand-sign." Anko admired as the three clones moved to surround her. "Hayate, Naruto'll take the first shift, you're on supervisor duty. I'll round up volunteers to cover the night portion."

Hayate waved one hand as he coughed and Anko vanished in a flash of golden light.

"So… eyes on the screens and a group ready to deploy if needed?" Naruto ased even as a dozen more clones popped into being behind him. "Okay guys, to the screens and let's see if we can spot Hinata-chan!"

The clones cheered and almost dived into their seats, earning a raised eyebrow from Hayate.

"Hinata's nice." Naruto said with a shrug. "So, aside from her, what else should we be on the lookout for?"

"Here." Hayate said, passing a clipboard over. Naruto looked at it, then lifted up the first sheet to keep reading.

"That's a _lot_ of stuff to watch for." He finally said.

.

* * *

.

"There she is!" One of the clones called and Naruto walked over to get a look at the screen himself.

"She's looking very determined." He said after a moment of watching Hinata amidst the group of genin listening to Anko. "It's a shame we don't get sound on these."

"Too expensive." Hayate said after he'd finished coughing. "Keep an eye out."

Naruto nodded before glaring at the other clones who had taken their eyes off their own screen in order to watch Hinata's image. The clones quickly turned back to their screens.

"Weird." One of them said after a moment. "A snake just squirmed into the forest through gate thirty-seven."

Hayate straightened up and strode over to the clone who had made the announcement. "What? How big?"

"About… three foot long?" The clone offered and Hayate frowned.

"Stay. Here. Do _not_ dispel."

Naruto and the clones watched Hayate almost sprint out of the door and Naruto shook his head.

"I wonder where he's off to? And why didn't he ask for a _jump_?"

Several clones shrugged before returning their attention to the screens.

.

"Tell him what you told me."

Naruto looked round to see Hayate striding into the monitor room followed by a man who looked like an older, scarred version of Shikamaru.

"A snake entered Area 44 through a small gap just by Gate thirty-seven." The clone responded. "It was about three foot long and darkly colored, I almost didn't see it."

The new arrival frowned in thought.

"I need to speak to Anko."

"There's a tag behind the tent." Naruto offered, indicating the screen where genin were filing into the tent with forms in their hands and exiting with a scroll. "I can get you there instantly and if I come along as well, return you just as fast. By the way, you look _really_ familiar, but…"

"I'm Shikaku. You know my son, Shikamaru as you were in class together and you've gone up against his team multiple times. By the way, thanks for motivating him, he's actually become the most energetic Nara since the founding of Konoha."

Naruto blinked at that. "…errrrr, thanks?"

"No worries." Shkaku shrugged. "So, I hear that one of your clones spotted a suspicious snake."

Naruto half-turned to wave at his clone, who nodded and passed across a tape to a second clone, who in turn took it to a spare video player and inserted it. The screen attached to the player showed static for a moment, then it resolved into the view of a gate. For a long moment, nothing happened, then in the corner of the screen, a small serpent slithered out of the grass and through a tiny hole beside the gate, a hole _exactly_ the right size for the snake to fit through.

"Worrying." Skikaku admitted as he rewound the tape for a second look. "Look. The way that snake moved, it's done this before. It looked round before going through the hole, it's obviously a summons and I only know of _two_ snake summoners. I've spoken to Anko and she hasn't summoned a snake all week…"

"Orochimaru." Hayate breathed.

"He's in Konoha." Shikaku frowned. "And he's either up to something inside the Forest of Death or he's going to be…"

"I'll get the other two." Hayate offered. "We're going to _*cough*_ need more clones as well."

"Tell me when." Naruto said.

"I missed that." Shikaku said, not paying attention to the conversation behind him. "The hole is the perfect size to let it through without causing it damage, thus risking it dispelling, or being large enough to be noticable for anything less than a concerted examination… this has happened before.  
"There's a _third_ snake-summoner."

Naruto stared at the Jonin.

"Orochimaru has a spy in Konoha and can communicate with him using their shared summons." Shikaku mused as he watched the video for the fourth time. "This means that he's had virtually real-time intelligence on us for… _years_. Only the Kamis know what he's got planned, but it can't be good…"

"The genin are entering the forest!" One of the clones called and Shikaku sighed.

"Too late to call them back." Shikaku sighed. "At least, not without severely damaging Konoha's reputation in the eyes of the other villages… I'll pull together some Jonin ready to deploy and I'll see if I can get Jiraiya on board. If we're going to encounter Orochimaru, we'll probably need a Sannin of our own…"

.

* * *

.

"So, my old team-mate has returned." Jiraiya said, looking at his saucer of Sake, but seeing something that no-one else could. "He's planning something. Something big, dramatic, complicated and in which he takes a pivotal role… he always had a thing for dramatics."

"He did." Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed, his gaze equally unfocused. "He was my greatest student… and my greatest failure…"

Both men shared a long silence, then Jiraiya nodded as he looked up at Shikaku.

"Where do you need me?"

"In the central tower of Area 44." Shikaku stated. "Between the Guard Platoon, Naruto and his clones and the tags we've got at all the cameras, we can get a fast-reaction team to wherever we need it within minutes or even seconds."

"Orochimaru does tend to spend quite a bit of time posing before moving in on his targets, if he thinks he has the time." Jiraiya agreed. "I heard from my sources that he's become more prone to it since he went nuke-nin… _dammit_! I really should have pushed Naruto to sign that scroll!"

"Wait until _after_ the stage finishes and then do it in secret." Hiruzen advised. "I'll even let you use the Hokage's Field for it."

Jiraiya whistled. "Really? Okay. You have a deal."

Hiruzen raised his Sake dish in agreement, then both men sipped appreciatively, then Jiraiya put his saucer down firmly.

"Alright, let's move to the tower. Maybe I can spar with my apprentice while I'm waiting. I'm getting rusty and if I'm going to face my old team-mate, nothing less than my best will do."

"Agreed." Hiruzen said. "Tell Naruto I have one of his father's kunai and expect to be brought in as well should Orochimaru show himself."

"Sure thing, Sensei." Jiraiya agreed. "Okay, let's go."

Hiruzen watched his last, loyal pupil leave the room, then refilled his Sake dish.

"Where did I go wrong with the other two?" He whispered to himself.

.

"Hey, brat!" Jiraiya laughed as he entered the room, then he paused. "Whoah, lotta brats."

"Hey, Pervy-sage." Naruto replied, looking up from the desk where he was working through several sheets of paperwork. "Good to have you on the team. I assume that you're taking charge?"

"Well, as well as being a Sage, I am a Jonin, so I do have seniority." Jiraiya demurred. "In this case, though, I'll follow Hayate as he's the _Jonin On Site_."

"Ah, like Kurenai was in Wave, even after Asuma and his team joined us." Naruto realized. "Technically, Asuma was senior, having been a Jonin for longer, but since Kurenai was the one who took on the mission, she remained in charge."

"You got it." Jiraiya agreed. "I may be a Sage and a Sannin, but officially, I'm a still just Jonin. Sannin isn't actually a rank so that means that Hayate's in charge."

Naruto glanced at Hayate, who had a _Deer-caught-in-the-lantern-light_ look.

"Is Hokage a rank?"

Jiraiya frowned in thought.

"Technically… not." He finally said. "Hokage is more of a… permanent mission position with the rank as a… well, no-one really cares about the Hokage's rank, although all so far have been Jonin."

"So I could technically become Hokage as a genin?" Naruto snorted and Jiraiya nodded.

"That's right, but I can't think of a single Hidden Village that would promote a genin to the position of Kage. Come to think of it, I can't think of a single Kage who was a genin."

"Damn, guess I need to get promoted in order to reach my goal." Naruto mock-mourned. "So, Chunin by sixteen, Jonin by twenty and Hokage by twenty-four."

"Now that I think about it, I believe that Yagura, the former Mizukage, was a Chunin." Jiraiya offered.

"Since he plunged his country into a civil war, that's not a good precedent." Naruto countered and both Hayate and Jiraiya nodded in agreement.

"Boss?" One of the clones called. "The Suna Siblings are facing off against a team from Rain!"

Jiraiya, Hayate and Naruto quickly moved to watch the confrontation.

"Umbrellas… area-effect senbon rain attacks." Jiraiya noted. "And… there! There it is!"

"He used a sand shield." Naruto noted. "Blocked all the senbon."

"He shouldn't have been able to do that." Jiraiya mused.

"Why?" Hayate asked.

"No _Byakugan_ and some of the attack curved in to hit him from behind, but at the same time, the shield isn't all-encompassing. It blocked everything, but it only blocked where it was needed. That level of control and awareness shouldn't be possible for a genin, especially one of his age. He's either a natural genius or… oh fuck."

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Sand. Suna. I heard that they'd removed the one-tail from the kettle it was in, but I thought they'd sealed it into a Jonin. They didn't."

""Him?!" Naruto asked and Jiraiya nodded.

"It fits all the facts. He's a Jinchuuriki and… oh hell."

"He didn't show any mercy…" Naruto gasped and Jiraiya winced.

"That level of bloodlust he showed and the look of pleasure on his face afterwards… I've _got_ to find a way to look at the seal. Suna _doesn't_ have any true Seal-masters in their ranks…"

"Unlike my father." Naruto agreed. "I'm still working my through the basic stuff."

"And they've got _*cough*_ the scroll." Hayate noted as the Suna trio exited the glade, leaving behind three piles of mangled remains that had once been shinobi. A moment later, a familiar head appeared from behind one of the bushes.

"That's Hinata!" Naruto gasped. "She must have seen the whole thing!"

"Boss! Over here!"

Naruto spun round just in time to see Sakura hurled into the air by a blast of wind, just missing Tobio's attempt to grab her. A moment later, a Kunoichi stepped out from behind a tree and Jiraiya gasped.

"That's Orochimaru! He always does that with his hands when he's about to implement a plan!"

"He's after Sasuke." Naruto realized. "Oh fuck. He's after the _Sharingan_!"


	28. Battles in the Forest

"Okay, so what's our plan?" Tobio asked as they dashed into the forest.

"We need to find another team and defeat them…" Sakura mused. "You two will have to do the majority of the fighting, if we can take down one team member, I can heal you up without worrying as much about being attacked myself."

"Useful, having an Iryonin on the team." Tobio agreed.

"I was using my _Sharingan_ to try and spot which gate-tokens people received." Sasuke supplied. "If we arc left, we'll be able to take on one of the Waterfall teams."

"Takigakure's a smaller village…" Tobio mused. "That means they'll have sent either their best or their politically connected, relatives of their elders."

"I watched them during the first exam." Sasuke replied as they took to the branches. "Their equipment was brand new and they kept shifting it, like they weren't used to it."

"Politically connected." Tobio concluded.

"Sounds like it." Sakura agreed.

"Viable targets." Sasuke stated and both his team-mates nodded. "I also caught a glimpse of their scroll before they put it away. They have a Heaven scroll."

Tobio's face turned almost predatory.

"We get their scroll, then we go straight to the Tower." Sasuke continued.

"Sounds like a plan." Sakura agreed.

.

* * *

.

"There they are." Sasuke grumbled. "Idiots! Barely paying attention to their surroundings! Boys playing at being shinobi."

"Well, they've never had to go up against Naruto when he was feeling… _inventive_." Tobio grumbled. "They're heading towards the tower, but fast enough that setting a trap will be… problematic. We could always use… a… distraction…"

Sasuke looked at his team-mates, who were both staring at him.

"What are you looking at _me_ fo… oh no. No. Nonono. Ohhhhhhh no. No way. Twice is enough."

Sakura looked at him, her eyes widening as moisture started to collect around the edges.

"Awwwww, fuck." Sasuke cursed, slumping. "Fine. But you two owe me for this."

"We're team-mates." Tobio chirped as they leapt off the branch to get ahead of their targets. "Remember what Sensei said? There are no true debts between team-mates."

Sasuke activated his _sharingan_ to glare at Tobio, who simply grinned goofily at him.

"I hate you both." Sasuke growled. "I _really_ want you both to know that."

"We love you too, Sas _uki-chan_." Sakura giggled and Sasuke growled. "There's a stream up ahead, that'll be the perfect place for the ambush."

"What are you planning?" Sasuke asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

"Well, it'll help us to _clean up_ …"

"…I hate you."

.

* * *

.

"I can't believe you made me _do_ that." Sasuke grumped as he used an unsealed towel to dry off his hair. "And even worse, it _worked_!"

"Not fair!" One of the captured genin grumbled. "We thought you were a kunoichi who was washing herself, not a _transvestite_ who doesn't actually need clothes!"

Sasuke dropped the towel as he glared at the speaker. "What. Was. _That_?"

"Easy." Sakura said as she put her hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "They're just sore about losing to us. I mean, they were so busy drooling, they forgot to check what was behind them."

"Nah, we were checking out your alter-ego's behind." One of the other ninja snarked before Sasuke struck him across the back of his head, knocking him out. The other two joined him in unconsciousness and Sakura began riffling through their pockets.

"Take _everything_." Sasuke commanded as he began to strip the second one. "Leave only their underwear and a kunai each, it should let them get out of the forest."

"You're letting them live?" Sakura smiled and Sasuke grinned ferally.

"Yes. Humiliated. Totally."

"Damn, that's cold." Tobio whispered. "I _like_ it."

"Boys." Sakura mourned, although her lips twitched with amusement. "So, once we've done this, straight to the tower?"

Sasuke and Tobio both nodded.

"Wait a moment." Sakura said as she ran straight up a tree. A moment later, she ran back down, stopping at the lowest branch. "I spotted it, it's that way."

"Then let's go." Sasuke replied as he ran up the tree to join her, Tobio hot on his heels. "The sooner we finish, the better."

"Yeah, let's not take any risks we don't have to." Tobio agreed.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke briefly activated his _sharingan_ , then retreated back into the shelter of the canopy.

"No sign of any enemies at the moment." He whispered, nodding to the glade spread out before them. "So, dash across or try to work our way around the edge?"

"Stream to the left, large rocks to the right." Sakura said quietly after taking a look for herself. "Rocks are good place for ambush and the noise of the stream will help hide anyone going for stealth…"

"I vote dash." Tobio offered. "Head straight across, get into the trees and go straight for the tower."

"Dash." Sakura agreed and Sasuke nodded.

"Sakura, you're still the weakest in combat. Tobio, you take the left as you're left-handed. I'll take the right. Sakura, you lead."

"Just don't stare at my butt." Sakura joked before she dropped to the ground. "Pink ready."

"Black One ready." Sasuke confirmed, dropping into position on her right.

"Black Two, ready." Tobio stated as he took a similar position on her left.

"Three." Sakura whispered just loudly enough that the two boys could hear her. "Two. One. Go!"

All three catapulted themselves out of the undergrowth and raced across the grassy glade in perfect formation, then a figure suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Kukukukukukuku… well, what do we have here?"

"Oh shit." Sakura whispered as a kunai seemed to materialize in her hand. "You're no genin, you've got too much chakra!"

"Hmmm, a sensor?" The figure asked, stalking to the edge of the shadows to reveal that she was a Kunoichi wearing a Grass headband. "Interesting. And I see you've learned to activate those delightful eyes of yours, Sasuke-kun… but since I can't have your friends interfering… "

"Brace!" Sasuke yelled as the Kunoichi unleashed a massive blast of wind. The sudden gale threatened to pull him into the air, but he used his tree-walking skills to anchor himself, as did Tobio and…

"…Nooooo!"

Sakura flew into the air, loose stones adhering to her feet and Tobio's desperate lunge missed her frantic grasp by a senbon's width.

"Sakura!" Tobio shouted as she vanished over the tree-line.

"Well, that's one down." The kunoichi smirked as she stepped fully out of the shadows and started to prowl around the two genin, eyeing them closely. "You don't have a chance, you know. You may as well surrender, I promise I won't simply kill you if you do."

"Orochimaru!"

The kunoichi leapt backwards as Jiraiya slammed down, cratering the ground.

" **That's Orochimaru? I thought he was a boy?"**

" **It's his spirit, but not his body."**

Sasuke blinked as the dust settled to reveal Jiraiya straightening up, an elderly toad perched on each shoulder.

"Jiraiya. Sage mode already, just to deal with little old me?" Orochimaru smirked, then she paused and raised a hand to her face, which was partially ripped off to reveal pale flesh underneath. "Oh, it looks like my disguise isn't necessary any more."

Orochimaru peeled off the torn outer face and smirked.

"That was a good entrance by the wa- _oah_!"

Only a frantic rolling dive allowed Orochimaru to dodge the metal-capped black pillar which slammed down exactly where he had been standing, then the pillar shrunk down into a staff, lowering Hiruzen to the ground as it did so.

"Hello, my old student."

"Heh, both of you together?" Orochimaru smirked as he slowly backed away from the two. "But how did you get here so fast? It was almost like… _Hiraishin_!"

Jiraiya half-crouched while Hiruzen prepared to attack, then Orochimaru laughed.

"Well, I can see that this part of my plan needs a bit of a re-think. Until next time, _Sensei_ …"

As the staff lanced out to pierce Orochimaru's heart, his body seemed to collapse into a pile of mud.

"He's gone." Jiraiya growled. "I caught an echo heading south-east, but by now, he's probably near the walls. He won't be back until he figures out what went wrong for him."

"Then we'll be ready." Hiruzen agreed. "Naruto, bring us back."

Under the shocked eyes of the two genin, three Narutos appeared in a flash of golden light.

"Hey, teme." Naruto waved, then he frowned. "Where's Sakura?"

"She was blown that way." Tobio said pointing. "We need to find her."

"Dobe." Sasuke nodded. "See you round. Hokage-sama, thank you."

"Go find Sakura." Hiruzen advised as Naruto created three more clones. "I look forwards to seeing you in the tower."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Sasuke managed, then he turned and sprinted off towards where Sakura had been blasted. Behind him, two flashes of light marked the departure of his saviors.

.

* * *

.

"Eeeeeeewwwwww!" Sakura groaned as she pulled herself out of the steaming pile of entrails and scales that had been a giant snake until she had used her chakra scalpels on it from within its gullet. "This is so _damn_ gross!"

"Sakura!" Tobio shouted as he landed beside her, then he backpedaled rapidly.

"I _know_! Thanks to this damn _handbag_ swallowing me, I _reek_!" Sakura grumbled as she tried to wipe some of the blood and other, less-identifiable fluid off her skin and clothes. "Graah! Even my storage scroll's ruined!"

"There's a stream just over there where you can wash." Sasuke said as he landed, then back-stepped slightly. "I have several spare changes of clothes, you can have one."

"Hey, does that mean she's finally going to get into your pants?" Tobio snickered just before Sasuke dope-slapped him. "Ow!"

"Eurgh!" Sakura whined. "I need to wash _now_! My clothes are starting to dissolve!"

"Let's move." Sasuke said. "This way. Tobio and I'll keep guard."

"Thanks." Sakura said gratefully as she followed the two boys. "The sooner I get this stuff off my skin, the better. Eeewww, it's so _slimy_!"

.

"Thanks, Sasuke." Sakura said in relief as she finished toweling her hair dry. Tobio glanced at her, his eyebrows rising.

"You look different." He said and Sakura looked down at herself. Her sandals were a pair of Tobio's and were still slightly too big for her while the shorts and t-shirt were Sasuke's, although he had refrained from giving her one of his jackets as, due to the clan-symbol on the back, it would be an official offer of marriage or adoption (at least, according to the Uchiha traditions). Instead, she wore one of Tobio's spare shirts, the buttons undone as she wore it jacket-style.

"We should get moving." Sasuke said after a long moment. "With any luck, we can get to the tower without anything else happening to us.

"Agreed." Sakura said with a slight shiver as she stared at her Hitai-ate with the ruined fabric band. After a moment, she pushed it into her pouch and gave a firm nod.

"The sooner we get to the tower, the sooner I can ask Naruto to take a message to my parents for new clothes. Let's go."

"Still find it amazing she killed a giant snake." Tobio whispered and Sasuke nodded, his gaze measuring as he looked at Sakura.

.

* * *

.

The door opened and Sasuke slipped through, kunai ready to attack or block and his _sharingan_ blazing. After a few seconds, he relaxed and his eyes returned to their normal black.

"Clear."

The door opened wider, allowing Tobio and Sakura to enter, then Tobio closed it behind them.

"So, now what?" He asked as Sakura looked round, then her gaze was arrested by the large framed poem mounted on the wall in front of them.

" _If qualities of heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher.  
_ " _If earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack.  
_ " _When heaven and earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever.  
_ " _This something is the secret way, that guides us from this place today._ "

"You read that very well, Sakura," Tobio said, "But what the heck does it mean?"

"It's a metaphor." Sakura explained. "Heaven is mind, Earth is body. If you're strong but unskilled, study. If you're skilled but weak, train."

"And you need to open both scrolls to advance." Sasuke realized, pulling them out of his inner jacket pocket. "Open them _together_ … open them so that heaven crosses the earth. Tobio!"

Tobio caught the thrown scroll and Sasuke knelt down.

"Do as I do."

Sasuke broke the wax seal on the scroll and pushed it to unroll away from him. The scroll extended, then Tobio's scroll crossed over it and a cloud of smoke formed. As it dissipated, a figure appeared.

"Hm, that was fast." Kakashi said, looking up from his book. "New wardrobe, Sakura?"


	29. A Genin's Reunion

"Naruto." Sasuke said as he sat down opposite Naruto. Naruto looked up from his bowl of Ramen to give the new arrival a nod. "Sakura will want a favor from you soon."

Naruto sucked up the noodles and swallowed before answering. "What sort of favor?"

"Resupply from her house." Sasuke shrugged. "I'm sure that you remember that… _incident_ in the forest. Ruined her clothes, had to lend her some of mine. She wants to send a note to her parents asking them to pull a couple of outfits from her wardrobe."

"Sounds do-able." Naruto replied. "I'll have to charge, though. Say… half a low D-rank? Can't afford to be taken for granted… _heh_. Literally."

"I'm going to ask to hire you as well." Sasuke said, earning a surprised look. "I heard about Wave and I've met Inari. I approve of him, but that's neither here nor there. I need to hire his grandfather to build a house for me. With Orochimaru after me, I need somewhere relatively safe and even though half of the Uchiha sector is rented out, I don't think I'm going to feel safe there any more."

"Understandable." Naruto nodded. "Cost?"

"As the Last Uchiha, I inherited everything, so I can afford it. There's a former police station near training ground seven that was abandoned as surplus to requirements a decade ago, if that gets torn down, it'll be a good place to build the new house. Accommodations for the whole team, even though I think only Tobio'll join me there. Although Kakashi-Sensei might, especially with Orochimaru after me."

"Tobio is an orphan as well." Naruto agreed. "Alright. Get Sakura to write that note and you write yours, I'll deliver them both and get Tazuna over to talk plans with you."

"Thanks." Sasuke said as he rose from his seat. "Oh, Naruto? Prepare for impact."

Naruto put down his bowl and gave Sasuke a confused look before Hinata glomped him straight off the chair.

"Hey, Hinata." Naruto smiled as Sasuke walked off snickering. "I see you made it."

"Hell, yeah!" Kiba called as he stepped up and grinned at the grounded duo. "It was all thanks to all that training we did against you. It let us spot the trap and dodge it, taking the attackers from the side. Hinata took down two of them while Akamaru and me distracted 'em."

"That's good to hear." Naruto smiled as he stood up, pulling Hinata into another hug once he was back on his feet. "I assume Shino took the third one down?"

Shino stepped forwards and nodded.

"Well, there's another three days until the test ends, so I'm afraid you have to stay in the tower until then. However, I can show you where the training salles are, if you think you need to get some practice in."

"Cool." Kiba grinned. "Being cooped up for too long tends to drive us Inuzuka slightly nuts."

"Wait." Naruto said. "I've seen where you live, that's a small place, right?"

"With a fairly big window." Kiba protested. "And the Den is just that, a Den. It's for sleeping and storing stuff. Oh, washing and the occasional meal as well, but mainly sleeping and storing stuff."

"Hence the shower." Naruto nodded.

"Inuzukas hate baths, just like their ninken." Hinata giggled.

"Yep, and it's working out cheaper for me too." Kiba continued, ignoring Hinata's comment. "I mean, now I'm independent, I only really have to pay for the utilities, the basic clan-tithe and whatever food I claim from the commissary. Aside from those, every Ryo I earn is _mine_!"

"So, are you going to save up for a larger place?" Naruto asked and Kiba shrugged.

"Maybe _so_ , maybe _no_. I'm putting half my income into an account to earn extra cash from interest. Better safe than sorry and all that.'sides, when I hit Chunin, I'll be able to go on the higher-ranked missions and get even _more_ money!"

"The capability to increase ones income should not be abandoned without preliminary consideration." Shino offered. "After all, an increase of finance allows for an expansion of the hive."

"…yeah." Kiba finally agreed. "I mean, I'm happy with my den and all, but paying someone to do my laundry will give me a few more hours training time."

"Training time is always good." Naruto agreed. "I use clones for mine, but I have so much chakra that a _Kage Bunshin_ to me takes less proportional effort than a _Bunshin_ does to a normal genin."

"That… is a _lot_ of chakra." Shino remarked, sounding slightly shaken.

"Thank the Kamis for Hinata-hime, or I'd still be struggling to get something resembling control. She's awesome. Compared to her, I'm an idiot."

Kiba's eyes widened, then he fell over laughing as Hinata stopped and blushed.

"Kiba, perhaps we should leave them alone so that she can follow through on her threat."

Hinata's blush went almost fluorescent as Kiba struggled to breath.

"Naruto…" She growled in fond exasperation.

"What?"

.

* * *

.

"Fuck!" Shimaru swore as the Tower door slammed shut, the final arrow that Dori had fired penetrating it, but not passing through.

"Should we try to pursue?" Gura asked and Shimura shook his head.

"No. They made it into the tower and if we go in without two scrolls, we'll be ejected from the exams. We have no choice. We need to find another team and take them down."

.

"Made it." Suigetsu gasped as he slammed the door closed behind him, then ducking as an arrow penetrated the wood by his head. Several voices could be heard cursing, then they faded away as the pursuers left in order to find new prey.

"Zabuza-sensei won't be mad at us." Chojuro agreed. "But _damn_ , those archers were _evil_! Thank the Kamis for your ice mirrors and Suigetsu's hydrification ability."

"My mirrors do make good shields." Haku agreed, looking round. "Aha, that poem must be a clue as to what to do next."

"What poem?" Suigetsu asked, then he looked up at the large, framed calligraphy poster. "Oh! _That_ poem. Erm, what does it mean?"

"That you need to study more." Haku snarked and Suigetsu glared at him. "No, seriously. Once you decode the metaphor, it says those who are strong but untrained need to study while those who are weak but skilled need to get stronger."

"Zabuza-Sensei's been forcing me to work on that." Chojuro noted.

"That's only the first half, though." Haku continued. "If I've got the second part right, we need to unroll the scrolls now."

"After all the fuss we went through to keep them both safe?" Suigetsu queried and Haku nodded.

"They seem to be standard twelve-foot scrolls and we need to unroll them so that the Heaven Scroll goes over the Earth Scroll. Suigetsu, stay there and prepare your scroll. Chojuro…"

"Already on it." Chojuro said as he positioned himself. "Ready."

"Suigetsu, unroll the scroll!" Haku commanded and Suigetsu sent the scroll rolling away from him, the previously concealed parchment revealing the squiggles and runes of a fuuinjutsu array.

Without the need for prompting, Chojuro sent his scroll rolling to cross over Suigetsu's and the scrolls glowed before a cloud of chakra smoke formed above the intersection.

"Nicely done, brats." Zabuza said as he stepped out of the cloud. "You have two days until the test ends, so find yourself a room, then join me in the mess hall. I'll debrief you as we eat."

"Hai, Zabuza-Sama."

"Haku…" Zabuza began grumpily, then he sighed. "Just… get moving."

.

* * *

.

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up to see a grey-haired stockily-built man standing at the end of the table he had claimed.

"Master-builder Tazuna, I assume?"

"That's me." Tazuna smiled. "Naruto said you had some business for me."

Sasuke nodded, then turned to the other man sitting at the table.

"Umino-san, this is Tazuna, whom I hope to hire. Tazuna, be known to my former Academy Sensei and legal guardian Umino Iruka, the man who is in charge of my finances until I either reach chunin or the age of sixteen."

"Pleased to meet you." Tazuna nodded as he sat down. "So, Sasuke, you said you were hoping for a new house?"

"I am." Sasuke said. "Hang on."

Standing up, Sasuke turned and bent down to pick up the folder he had stashed by his chair.

"What's that thing on your back?" Tazuna asked as Sasuke placed the folder on the table.

"The Uchiha Fan, the symbol of my clan, although I'm all that's left of it." Sasuke said. "Why?"

"Just a thought." Tazuna said, pulling out his notebook and making a couple of sketches. "So, you want a house and quickly… it's the foundations that take the longest, but since this is a ninja village, you could ask some of them to ninj the foundations for the house… what?"

"To _ninj_ the foundations?" Iruka repeated as if he was struggling not to wince.

Sasuke smirked, then paused as a person he had read about entered, followed by three others.

"Isn't that Zabuza?" He asked and Iruka glanced across the mess hall.

"Wooo, time for… Holy shit! Zabuza?!" Kiba's voice echoed through the hall as he bounced through the door before coming to a screeching halt as the swordsman turned to see who had spoken.

"Hey, aren't you one of those brats from Wave?"

Kiba stared at the swordsman, then found himself moved aside by Hinata.

"Naruto-kun! I'm back!"

Hinata seemed to blur across the room and into Naruto's arms as Zabuza started chuckling.

"I don't think she even saw me."

"I did." Hinata said from Naruto's hug. "But my snuggly is more important."

"Snuggly?" Naruto repeated in amused disbelief as Zabuza started to laugh.

"Naruto's here?! So, should we start screaming like little girls now?" Suigetsu asked and Haku face-palmed.

.

"I'm done!" Sakura called as she opened the door to the bunkroom she was sharing with her two team-mates. Tobio strightened up from his slouch against the wall as he saw her.

"Looking good." He said, his eyes examining her. "Fully stocked?"

"Weapons and medical gear." Sakura confirmed, letting her hand brush over one of her Kunai pouches, then she turned enough that he could see the pair of scrolls stored against the small of her back.

"You realize we won't need them until tomorrow?" Tobio asked as he moved to walk alongside her as she headed down to the mess hall.

"Better safe than sorry." Sakura shrugged. "So, who's made it so far?"

"Us, obviously." Tobio snarked, earning a _look_ from Sakura. "Team Eight, the Sand Siblings from Suna… heh, alliteration. Team Sword from Mist, the team from Sound came in last night, Team Gai came in just an hour ago."

"That explains the shouts of _Youth_ I heard earlier." Sakura deadpanned and Tobio managed not to burst out laughing. "Anyone else?"

"Not yet." Tobio shrugged. "Of course, if what I heard from Naruto is true, we'll be having some fights to winnow things down further."

Sakura sighed. "I think I need to do some more training."

"I'll join you." Tobia replied. "Those sword users looked scary."

.

* * *

.

"Tomorrow, the second stage ends." Hinata sighed as she snuggled up to Naruto, her gaze on the sunset. "I wonder who I'll be matched against?"

" _Officially_ , it's random." Naruto said with a small shrug. "I asked Ibiki-san about it and he pointed out that should any Jonin-sensei express any doubts about the process, the backup plan is for the names to be written on bits of paper which are put into small metal spheres, which in turn are placed in a large container and shaken up for fifteen minutes before being emptied onto a pair of metal rails and the Jonin who complained selects which end to start from."

"Sounds complex." Hinata smiled and Naruto nodded.

"Yep, it's meant to be so that the Jonin-Senseis only complain if the manipulation of the names is more than minor. Unfortunately, that means that you're likely to be facing your cousin."

Hinata blinked. "What?"

"The finals are meant to showcase the village's skills to potential clients, and as many of those skills as possible." Naruto explained. "Having _two_ Hyuuga would cut down on the variety on display…"

Hinata sighed as she slumped in Naruto's arms.

"Then Neji-niisan should represent Konoha." She stated. "He's better than me in _Jyuuken_."

"But… but you have the _Hiraishin_ and the _Rasengan_ …" Naruto protested, only for Hinata to place a finger on his lips.

"Those are _your_ techniques." She said quietly. "For me to be promoted because I know _your_ techniques while _you_ can't be promoted through the exams like you deserve…"

Naruto gave her a long look and she sighed.

"Alright. If it's anyone _other_ than Neji, I'll fight. Alright?"

Naruto nodded and Hinata turned her gaze back to where the sun was sinking below the horizon. As they sat in each others arms, neither of them noticed the red-eyed woman fading away, having overheard their entire conversation, nor the white-eyed boy on the balcony above who was staring at the sky in confused contemplation.


	30. A Genin Observer

Naruto stood to one side of the dais, looking over the assembled genin stood in neat ranks in the main sparring hall. On either side of the platform, the Jonin-Senseis stood, two Konoha and one non-Konoha on the left while the other four (two and two) stood on the right.

The twenty-one genin stood in three rows of seven, each team standing in line behind their senior genin, waiting for the final part of the second stage to begin and Naruto almost jumped out of his skin as a hand dropped onto his shoulder.

"Anko?"

"Hey, brat." Anko smirked. "You did good out there. You got the squads in place?"

Naruto nodded, then paused as the Oto Jonin gave him a measuring look. "Squads?"

"Orochimaru tried something in the Forest." Anko shrugged. "Naruto-kun here helped set up the counter-attack that drove him off."

"Congratulations, Chunin." The Jonin smiled. "My name is Raishi and it's an honor to meet the son of the Yellow Flash."

"I'm only a genin." Naruto demurred, then he frowned. "Damn, word's spread that far, has it?"

Raishi nodded, then turned his attention to the other side of the stage where Hiruzen was talking to Ibiki.

"I've got a job to do." Anko stated."And so do you, remember."

"Got it." Naruto sighed as he summoned two clones. "Be back soon."

The world seemed to blink around him, then he was standing in front of Jiraiya.

"Hey, brat."

"Pervy-sage." Naruto nodded back, then he turned to look at the screens. "Any sign of Orochimaru?"

"No." Jiraiya growled as he watched the screen on which Hiruzen was giving his speech, then the ones showing Jonin-Senseis. "And that worries me. When he _did_ apply himself to it, he was a very convincing actor and now he knows that we can be on top of him within seconds of finding out just who he's masquerading as…"

"One of the Jonins?" Naruto asked. "Raishi, Baki or Zabuza? I've met Zabuza before, so…"

"Too obvious." Jiraiya countered. "More likely he's pretending to be one of the ANBU. There should be a dozen of them around, hidden from view. There's probably _thirteen_ ANBU in there, but since they're under orders to conceal themselves unless summoned or something happens that requires intervention… damn."

For a long moment, Jiraiya stared at the screens, then he shrugged.

"Alright. Leave another dozen clones, then head back. Looks like Sensei is finishing his speech and you're going to want to watch your girlfriend do her stuff."

Naruto paused mid-technique to glare at the snickering Sage, then a dozen clones popped into existence around him before he rejoined the two clones that had allowed him to make the _Hiraishin_ jump.

"Good luck finding that bastard." He said before he vanished in a flash of golden light.

"Yeah, luck's the only way I _will_ find him." Jiraiya sighed as he turned back to the screen where all bar two of the genin were making their way to the viewing balcony. Movement caught his eye and he grinned as Naruto _shunshin_ ed to beside Hinata, who responded by taking his arm and wrapping it around her as they watched the duo squaring off.

.

"What did I miss, other than the speech?" Naruto whispered as he gave Hinata a one-armed hug.

"Kabuto quit, saying he hadn't recovered enough from the forest." Hinata replied just as quietly, but with a frown. "I checked, he didn't have any obvious injuries and his chakra levels seemed to be quite high, almost to the level of a Jonin."

"Interesting…" Naruto mused. "I'll tell Jiji afterwards, something like that is… they're starting!"

Below them, Sakura finished adjusting her gloves while the white-haired teen opposite her unslung his sword. The front of the blade was narrow but widened into a cylindrical center while the trailing edge seemed to be covered in tags.

"That's the _Shibuki_ or Blastsword!" Naruto gasped. "I remember Kosuke-Sempai telling me about the swords of the Mist! It deploys exploding tags from the back…"

Hinata inhaled sharply as the teen below spoke.

"Are you a boy or a girl? I mean, you're so flat-chested, it's hard to tell."

"Bad move." Naruto whispered as Sakura seemed almost to glow with fury.

"Not that it really matters, although I have to say, that's a _huge_ forehead you have…"

"Begin!" Hayate commanded as Sakura seemed to be surrounded with incorporeal flames for an instant.

"He tried to trash talk _Sakura_ … what an idiot!" Naruto whispered as the kunoichi below exploded into action even as Suigetsu attacked.

Suigetsu swung his sword, only for Sakura to deliver an uppercut to the side of the blade that sent the blade flying into the air, embedding itself into one of the rafters.

"…the _fuck_?" Suigetsu managed before a second punch sent him slamming into the wall where he exploded in a shower of water, his hip-gourd clattering to the ground.

"…huh?"

The water flowed together and reformed into a scowling Suigetsu. Ignoring the shocked looks, he picked up his gourd, opened it and drank deeply before glaring at the wide-eyed Sakura.

"That _hurt_." He growled.

"And I'll make sure you hurt even more!" Sakura growled as she pulled out a kunai. " _No-one_ makes fun of my forehead! _Shannaro_!"

"Damn, she's good." Naruto noted as Suigetsu frantically threw himself backwards to avoid the blade that threatened his crotch. "She fights dirty, too."

"I blame you for that." Kakashi noted from behind them, causing them both to jolt in shock. "After that wake-up call you gave me at the bell test, I took a long look at myself and what I had allowed myself to become. I also considered how to train my genin better. Sakura studies for two evenings a week with Anko. It was expensive, but I think it was worth letting Anko see underneath my mask."

"No wonder she's been looking smugger than usual for the last few months." Kurenai groaned as below them, Sakura threw a trio of kunai that impaled Suigetsu's arm briefly before he turned it into liquid just long enough to let the kunai drop to the ground.

"Interesting." Kakashi mused. "I haven't seen any wielders of the Hozuki bloodline in years, although I did hear that one was in the previous iteration of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. I wonder if…"

A crackling noise interrupted his musing and Kakashi glanced below, noting the sprawled form.

"Well, looks like she found out how to use that nerve-stimulation jutsu in combat. Clever girl."

Down below, Sakura kicked the jelly-like form of Suigetsu, causing ripples to travel over his entire body.

"My forehead is _not_ that big!"

"Winner, Sakura." Hayate stated. "Medics!"

The white-suited medic-nins bustled in, then paused as they tried to figure out how to lift Suigetsu onto the stretcher.

"Haku." Zabuza commanded and Haku vaulted over the railing to land by his team-mate, his hands already blurring through a string of seals. A moment later, the spilled water around Suigetsu froze and shifted, turning into a stretcher made out of ice.

"It will last for about five minutes." Haku explained as the medics picked up Sigetsu.

"Thanks." The head medic said, then he followed the others back into the medical bay adjacent to the sparring chamber. Turning, Haku paused, then leapt first to the balcony and then to the wall. Running up to the embedded sword, he grabbed it in a reverse grip, then pulled it out and dropped back down to land beside Zabuza, who took the sword from him as if it was a regular occurrence.

"Next match is _*cough*_ Inuzuka Kiba against Abumi Zaku."

"Yes!" Kiba exulted from beside them. "A chance to show how good we are! Let's get him, Akamaru!"

"He seems more excitable than normal." Naruto chuckled as Kiba vaulted over the railing, dropping to the ground with practices ease while his opponant walked down the stairs.

"Interesting shirt." Naruto muttered and Hinata took a closer look at Zaku's outfit, noting the three red kanji for Death printed on his beige top.

"Are you _*cough*_ all ready?" Hayate asked and Kiba nodded enthusiastically while Zaku just smirked.

"Yep, Akamaru and I are ready." Kiba exclaimed. "Right, bud?"

Akamaru barked in agreement.

"I need a new scarf, your mangy mutt'll do."

Kiba snarled, his hand pulling a small pill out of his pouch.

"Begin!"

Kiba tossed the pill straight to Akamaru, who snapped it out of the air, then leapt sideways as _something_ blasted out of Zaku's palm, shattering the stone where Akamaru had been crouched. A second blast clipped Kiba, sending him tumbling.

"Hinata?"

The veins around Hinata's eyes bulged briefly.

"He has… _devices_ built into his arms, they seem to react to his chakra… they fire blasts of chakra-infused air!"

"…allowing him to adjust it to create blades, blasts or other techniques." Naruto concluded, looking at the gash in the opposite wall. "That is a strong skill."

"So, you dodged my blasts, but there's more where they came from!" Zaku sneered, unleashing a two-handed blast at Kiba, who barely managed to scramble out of its way.

"Your aim is as lousy as your threats!" Kiba taunted and Zaku snarled as he fired alternating blasts at Kiba, then the Oto-nin suddenly folded over with a high-pitched scream as a red blur impacted just below his waist.

"Gotcha!" Kiba snarled as he delivered a rising spinning kick. As the Sound Nin somersaulted backwards from the power of the kick, Akamaru released his grip on Zaku's groin and Kiba snatched him out of the air, redirecting him so that when he landed, Akamaru was perched on his back.

"…kill… you… both…" Zaku sobbed as he rolled away from the duo.

"As if." Kiba scoffed. " _Shikyaku no Jutsu_! _Jujin Bunshin_!"

Kiba's nails and teeth seemed to lengthen, his face taking on a more feral cast while wisps of chakra flared around him, then Akamaru vanished into a cloud of smoke, dissipating to reveal a _second_ Kiba.

"…the hell?" Zaku frowned as he managed to stagger to his feet, one hand still pressed over his groin.

"Let's do this!" Kiba snarled as Akamaru dropped down beside him. "Let's cull the herd!"

Both figures burst into motion, running in opposite directions and Zaku's eyes widened as he tried to gather enough chakra to fire another blast, then he was send flying by a double-footed kick from behind, followed by a spinning backhand that halted him in mid-air. Before he could fall, both Kibas grabbed his ankles and in a well-rehearsed movement, swung him down to slam face-first into the ground, then up and over with twice the effort, leaving him face-up in a small crater.

"Ouch." Naruto winced as Hayate ended the match. "I hope he never does that to me."

Kiba and Akamaru (transformed back into his normal form) jogged up the stairs to rejoin Team Eight.

"Whoo! We did it!" Kiba cheered. "We were _awesome_!"

"Next match is about to start." Naruto pointed out and Kiba turned.

"Rock Lee and Tsuchi Kin…"

"YOSH!" Lee shouted as he somersaulted over the railings and landed in a perfect three-point crouch in front of Hayate. "At last, I have a chance to show my youthful prowess!"

Kin shook her head as she descended, the bells at her waist jingling with each step she took.

"Uuuurgh, something… odd about those bells." Kiba grumbled, shaking his head.

"They're infused with her chakra." Hinata noted as she deactivated her _byakugan_.

"Are you ready?" Hayate asked, getting two nods in reply. "Then… _begin_!"

Lee blurred straight bast Kin, causing her hair to briefly stream in the breeze, then he collided with the wall, embedding himself into the stonework for a moment before he pulled himself out, blinking owlishly.

"That was a very youthful dodge." He said as he turned round to face Kin, who hadn't moved but was staring at him in disbelief. "However, I can be even more youthful!"

Lee blurred forwards again and Kin ducked, but once more he completely missed her and plowed into the wall.

"What is going on?" Neji muttered, just loudly enough for Naruto to overhear.

"You can't dodge forever!" Lee declared as he started to walk towards Kin, then he staggered sideways. "Whoah! _Doton_ techniques now? I will _not_ let you defeat me with these unyouthful tactics!"

Kin swallowed as she shifted into a defensive pose, senbon appearing in her hands and the bells at her waist chiming louder. Lee staggered for a moment, then launched himself, passing straight past Kin once more and slamming headfirst into the wall. Kin threw a discolored senbon at Lee, embedding it in his thigh, and a few seconds later he collapsed.

"He's knocked out." Kin shrugged. "I think I won that."

"How…?" Naruto wondered as Kiba stopped rubbing at his ears.

"That sound's stopped."

"The bells!" Hinata gasped. "She was using a _genjutsu_ carried on the sound of the bells! She must have been casting it even as she walked down the stairs."

"Oh hell." Naruto groaned as he looked at the names on the screens above the dais. "I was right."

Hinata followed his gaze, then her head turned. A few meters away, Neji returned her gaze impassively.

"Hyuuga Hinata and _*cough*_ Hyuuga Neji, please come down."


	31. A Genin's Support

"Hyuuga Hinata and _*cough*_ Hyuuga Neji, please come down." Hayate said and Neji stepped towards the stairs.

"Proctor, I forfeit." Hinata called and Nei froze. "My cousin is more skilled than I am and has served Konoha longer. He deserves the chance to become Chunin, I still need more experience before I can even consider myself to be ready for the extra responsibilities being a chunin brings. I _choose_ to let Neji progress."

"Very well." Hayate said after exchanging glances with the Hokage. "Hyuuga Neji wins by forfeit. The next match has been chosen. _*cough*_ Would Aburami Shino and Kankuro of…"

"Hell no!" Kankuro shouted. "I'm out! No way am I going up against an _Aburame_! I've read the histories and a normal Aburame Genin can _destroy_ a Chunin Puppeteer! I want to keep my puppets intact, thank you very much!"

Shino stood motionless, yet somehow radiated a sense of aggrieved triumph.

"Two forfeits… I hope this doesn't _*cough*_ become a pattern."

Naruto smiled at Hinata and gave her a reassuring hug.

"Next time, you'll blast them away." He whispered.

"Unless either Gaara of the Desert or Akado Yoroi wish to forfeit…" Hayate snarked and both named Genin glanced at each other before descending to the main floor.

"Gaara has a great deal of chakra surrounding him, like a suit of armor over his skin, more than he had in the first stage…" Hinata mused, then she stiffened. "That gourd he's carrying is full of chakra… in two different colors!"

" _Two_ colors?" Naruto repeated distractedly as he looked round in an attempt to spot where Orochimaru could be hiding. " _Who_ has two different colors of chakra?"

"You do, like he does." Hinata whispered and Naruto froze.

"Shit. Jiraiya said that he was a… that would explain it."

"Interesting." Kakashi mused. "If I remember the histories correctly, the First Hokage handed the Tailed Beasts to various countries to try and keep the peace. Suna received the One-Tail, which would make Gaara the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi. He is probably one of the most dangerous Genin in the room… we may need to prepare for a rapid evacuation."

"Should we try to warn Yoroi?" Naruto asked as the two genin squared off against each other, then Yoroi lunged forwards.

"I'll drain you dry of chakra!" Yoroi snarled as his hands slammed against Gaara's shoulders.

"Fascinating." Kakashi said, slightly lifting his headband. "Yoroi seems to be draining chakra from Gaara at quite a rate. He'd be able to drain a genin in a matter of seconds and a chunin within half a minute, but Gaara has more chakra than almost anyone else in the room, even me."

"How fast is he draining him?" Naruto asked and Kakashi shook his head.

"Not fast enough and his coils will overload if he keeps this up. Uh-oh…"

Gaara smirked, then the cork of his gourd popped out, followed by a cloud of sand which flowed to surround the two of them.

"Not good." Naruto commented as he stood up. "Yoroi! He's got too much chakra for you! Get clear!"

"Shut up, I can do this!" Yoroi yelled, then he glanced at his hands. "Huh? What's with all the sand…"

With a sudden surge, the sand formed into a rising spike between Yoroi and Gaara, the impact flinging the Konoha genin backwards, then the spike turned into a wave of sand that engulfed Yoroi, cutting off his yell of shock.

" _Sabaku Kyu_." Gaara intoned, lifting one hand, then he clenched it with a sudden bloodthirsty grin. " _Sabaku Soso_."

The pile of sand encasing Yoroi compacted to a quarter of its previous size, sending a fountain of blood and gore arcing halfway to the ceiling. Several of the genin watching began throwing up and Naruto caught Hinata in a comforting embrace.

"Winner… Gaara." Hayate finally managed. "You… can go back to your team now."

The sand rippled and flowed back into the gourd, pulling the cork back into place as Gaara turned to make his way back to the stairs, uncaring of the smear of blood and liquidized flesh remaining. Hayate motioned and an ANBU appeared, using a scroll to seal away the crushed corpse, then unleashing a _suiton_ jutsu that washed the remaining gore into one of the drains set into the floor at the edges of the hall.

"Well, the next _*cough*_ match is Momochi Haku and Tobio."

Naruto concentrated on hugging Hinata, gently rubbing her back as she shuddered.

"You don't have to stay." Naruto whispered. "Kiba and Shino have both had their fights…"

"I… I'll be okay." Hinata mumbled. "I… It just came as a shock…"

"I know." Naruto agreed. "That boy's a psycho… I wouldn't want to fight him. Heck, as soon as I find out who's going up against him in the finals, I'm going to warn them. They _need_ to know."

"Begin!" Hayate commanded and Naruto shifted slightly to get a view of what was happening. Below, Tobio unleashed a wave of shuriken that curved around to slash at Haku from a dozen different directions, only for them to be blasted away by a wind technique.

"Damn." Tobio grumbled. "I thought _futon_ users were supposed to be rare? Oh well…"

Sprinting forwards, Tobio slashed with a kunai, only for Haku to counter with a trio of senbon, blocking the strike. For a moment, Tobio strained against the block, then he dropped and kicked at Haku's knee, only to roll back with a yelp of pain as a senbon embedded itself into his thigh.

"Shit." He hissed, hurling the kunai at Haku, only for Haku to catch it by thrusting a senbon through the pommel ring in a startling display of speed and accuracy.

"I would advise you to surrender." Haku commented as he flicked his wrist, sending the kunai screaming across the room, embedding itself in the stone tiles less than inch away from Tobio's groin.

"Hell, no!" Tobio snarled. "I'm not gving in _that_ easi- _hurk_!"

Tobio started to reach for the pair of senbon sprouting from his neck, then he collapsed in a boneless heap.

"Tobio!" Sakura screamed as Hayate darted forwards, but Haku was there first, gently extracting the senbon.

"I placed him in a false-death state." Haku explained. "He will recover, but I would advise having him rest for a week at the very least."

Hayate looked at the approaching medics and the lead medic nodded to show that he had overheard what Haku had said.

"Winner by knockout, Haku." Hayate confirmed as the medics placed Tobio on a stretcher and carried him to the medical room, one of them already using a healing jutsu on his neck.

"The next contestants _*cough*_ are Uchiha Sasuke and Kinuta Dosu."

Naruto grinned as Sauke started down the stairs.

"Good luck.. _teme_." He called and Sasuke shook his head.

"I don't need luck, I've got skill… _dobe_." He shot back before continuing down, leaving Naruto grinning as Hinata looked between the two genin in confusion.

"Naruto?"

"Meh, he's hired me as a sparring partner a few times to test new moves on." Naruto shrugged. "Area effect ones, distance ones, that sort of thing. Being able to pump out _Kage Bunshin_ all day comes in handy."

"Oh…"

"Huh, and I thought that it was _my_ teaching that led to him improving so much." Kakashi mock-sulked, causing Naruto to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. How many techniques have you let him copy, by the way?"

"Only a few." Kakashi shrugged. "I've been working on building up his speed and chakra levels. Knowing a thousand jutsu doesn't do much good if the other person can do it faster than you, after all."

"Don't think I didn't see him slip off his weights before heading down." Naruto smirked, nodding to where Sasuke's armbands lay on the ground, along with a second set of bands that had appeared to be part of his sandals. "That dude's in for a shock if he thinks duck-butt will go down easy."

"He _hates_ that nickname." Kakashi pointed out.

"Then he should style his hair differently." Naruto shot back. "Whup, they're starting!"

Below, Dosu flipped his right sleeve back to reveal that his arm was encased in a metal contraption studded with holes.

"My melody gauntlet." He said, his single visible eye narrow. "Let's see if your fancy eyes can match this."

Drawing a kunai, Dosu struck the gauntlet, causing the world to seem to flex and distort for a moment. Naruto grabbed onto the railing as his inner ear rebelled before settling while below, Sasuke dropped to one knee, his eyes turning red.

"You're helpless against my techniques." Dosu gloated and Sasuke shook his head, then fired a small spray of fireballs at Dosu, forcing him to dodge.

"That's new." Kiba noted.

Before Dosu could recover, Sasuke blurred forwards, his kunai clashing against the frantically-interposed gauntlet and Sasuke staggered backwards, shaking his head.

"Hah! The closer you are, the greater the effect." Dosu taunted and Sasuke growled, firing another spray of fireballs, but with less precision. Dosu responded by throwing a punch which somehow knocked Sasuke back, despite the distance between them being almost two dozen feet.

"How…?" Naruto asked as Hinata deactivated her _byakugan_.

"He's using his gauntlet to create chakra-enhanced attacks." She said. "But… it's not like any _futon_ technique I've ever seen before."

Sasuke rolled to one side as Dosu swung his fist again, then threw a dozen smoke bombs to engulf the area in shifting eddies of darkness.

"That won't help!" Dosu sneered. "I can still _hear_ you…AAARGH!"

The smoke seemed to be illuminated from within even as a barrage of incredibly loud cracks and bangs echoed, causing everyone to clutch at their ears, then Dosu was propelled upwards out of the smoke, bent double and with Sasuke launching himself into the air after him. At the top of their arc, Sasuke grabbed Dosu's foot and used it to slam his feet into Dosu's stomach before pushing off and spinning round to deliver an axe-kick to the back of Dosu's head. The Sound nin fell back into the dissipating smoke, landing with an audible _thud_ and Sasuke landed lightly next to him, pulling out a kunai and resting it on Dosu's neck.

"Winner, Sasuke." Hayate announced and Sasuke straightened up, returning the kunai to his pouch before almost strutting up the stairs, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Not bad, _teme_." Naruto called out.

"Glad you think so, _dobe_." Sasuke shot back as he rejoined his team, picking up his weights and reattaching them to his arms and legs.

"Could Temari and Tsurugi Misumi please come down?" Hayate called and Naruto's gaze darted to the Kunoichi from Suna.

"What's that on her back?" He wondered.

"I'll look forwards to getting _close_ to you." Misumi sneered and Temari unslung the weapon that she was carrying. "What, you think a club will help? I'm a taijutsu specialist, I can easily get past a weapon that clumsy."

"No, you won't." Temari stated as she spun the weapon, unfolding it to reveal that it was a giant fan.

"Going to do a fan dance?" Misumi chuckled as Hayate took a step back.

"Begin!"

Temari leapt backwards, spinning round to build up momentum and sent a blast of air at Misumi, picking him up and ramming him head-first into the wall. The genin slumped to the ground and for a long moment, no-one moved.

"Winner… Temari." Hayate finally said and Kiba groaned.

"Man, that has to have been the _lamest_ fight ever! That dude's a disgrace to Konoha."

"I've heard of a couple of other one-hit fights." Kakashi supplied as the final two genin started down towards the arena floor. "One where someone trash-talked the other and ended up knocked out with a broken jaw while the other was knocked out by a kick that was meant as a means to buy a couple of seconds to prepare for the expected counter-attack."

"Still lame." Kiba shrugged, looking down at the two genin.

"A swordsman versus a weapons mistress." Kakashi mused. "This could be interesting."

Below them, Chojuro unslung his sword, holding by both handles and letting the bandages wrapped round it drop to the ground while Tenten reached behind her to unseal a Chokuto from a storage seal inscribed on the back of her belt.

"Huh, they're both going for _kenjutsu_." Kakashi noted. "I wonder how skilled she is. Gai is primarily a _taijutsu_ specialist…"

"Which is why I asked the youthful Yugao to help fan Tenten's flames of youth with the ways of the sword." Gai said from behind Kakashi, startling everyone except the silver-haired Jonin.

"Then this will be very interesting." Kakashi said as the two Genin squared off against each other.

"Final Match." Hayate declared. "Begin!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding Kakashi's comment, the broken jaw match was a reference to the story Team 8 (Naruto vs Sasuke, Naruto won in half a second).  
> The kick victory featured in Mischief Fragment Mjolnir by Greylle, re-posted on my FFN page after it got deleted.


	32. A Genin's Plans

Tenten shifted her feet slightly, sinking into a low stance as her eyes measured up her opponent. His larger sword would allow him to deliver blows too powerful to block, but its size would limit how fast he could swing it, allowing her to intercept and redirect it. The odd two-handle design would aid with slashes and blade-twists, but would cut down on precision.

Of course, with the sword being one of the famous _Seven Swords of the Mist_ , precision was probably not that high on the list of required attributes for wielding it.

"Final Match." Hayate declared. "Begin!"

Chojuro sprinted forwards, spinning to build up momentum and the _Hiramekarai_ slashed through the air on a path that would have bisected Tenten, had she not countered with a rising slash that deflected the larger blade just enough to let her roll underneath it, rising to slash at Chojuro's flank. The blade missed as Chojuro used the momentum of his sword to help him leap sideways, opening the distance between them again.

"Tenten seems to be enjoying this." Naruto commented. "She doesn't have much chance to practice her _kenjutsu_ , it's normally _shurikenjutsu_ at the training sessions that I've attended."

The clashing of metal verses metal interrupted him as Tenten pressed home the attack while Chojuro shifted his grip, releasing one handle in order to place his hand against the flat of the blade, allowing him to use it like a shield. After several seconds, Tenten disengaged in a whirling flurry of steel that denied him the chance to counter-attack.

"His blade is _full_ of chakra…" Hinata murmured as below them, Chojuro shifted his grip again, then his sword was suddenly surrounded by a chakra aura.

"What the…" Tenten began, but she was interrupted by Chojuro as he swung the _Hiramekarai_.

" _Hiramekarai Kaiho_!"

The chakra suddenly extended outwards, tripling the length of the blade and Tenten launched herself into an aerial somersault to avoid the unexpected slash, barely dodging the chakra blade before landing in a three-point crouch.

"Right." She growled, then she paused as something hit the ground beside her. All eyes moved to look at the shredded ribbon, then Tenten slowly reached up to touch the ragged ends that had once been her left hair-bob.

"You… _bastard_!" She shouted, stabbing her chokuto into the ground and somehow filling her hands with multiple kunai and shuriken. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to find a hairstyle that let me have long hair _without_ it holding me back?!"

Chojuro didn't answer, being too busy trying to shield himself against the veritable horizontal rainstorm of metal that Tenten was sending his way.

"I couldn't even wear it loose, because I'd look like Neji!" Tenten ranted as her hands blurred. "Sure, he's a dish, but I'd rather not look as if I'm his sister! From how he treats his cousin, I know he doesn't have that fetish, so I can't use _that_ to get him into my bed!"

Neji turned bright red while Hinata sought refuge in Naruto's arms, biting her lip to stop herself laughing.

"Now I'll need a haircut to get it looking even again!" Tenten continued unabated. "And if Gai-Sensei or Lee even _think_ about suggesting a bowl cut, I'll use my Rising Dragons on _them_!"

Both males in question seemed to shrink back without actually moving.

"I'm sorry!" Chojuro shouted and the barrage of bladed weapons suddenly stopped. Carefully, he peeked out from behind the shield of his sword, only to get send flying backwards as a kunai's pommel-ring slammed into his forehead.

"Bastard." Tenten grumped.

"Winner, Tenten." Hayate confirmed while trying to hide an amused smirk. "If the winners could all _*cough*_ please come down and form a line?"

Naruto noted with amusement that the still-blushing Neji made certain that he was on the end of the rapidly-forming line that was furthest away from his team-mate.

"Naruto!" Tenten called up. "Once this is done, can I borrow a dozen clones?"

Naruto bit down on a laugh as Tenten indicated the drifts of metal that would need to be collected, sorted and re-sealed.

"Sure thing!" He called back. "However, I think Anko-san wants your attention!"

Tenten jolted back to face front and stared at Anko, before realizing that the elder Kunoichi was holding a box. With a sheepish smile, she reached in and extracted a small ball.

"Okay, if you can let me _*cough*_ see the numbers?" Hayate asked, then he scribbled the names of the winners down onto his clipboard before turning it round.

"In one month, you will participate in the final exam." He said, before breaking off to cough. Anko filched his clipboard while he was fumbling for a handkerchief and took over.

"The first match will be Uchiha Sasuke versus Higarushi Tenten. The second will be Haruno Sakura against Inuzuka Kiba. The third is Temari against Tsuchi Kin while the fourth will be Hyuuga Neji against Yuki Haku. The fifth will be Gaara of the Desert against Aburame Shino.  
"The winner of match one will fight the winner of match two. Same thing for three and four. The winner of match six will fight the winner of match five with the victor going up against whoever won match seven.  
"Sheets showing the match-ups will be given to your Jonin-Senseis by the end of the day. Stage two is now finished. You will be escorted to the boats and given a ride out of the Forest of Death unless you have alternate transportation already arranged. Dismissed!"

"I _really_ need to talk to Shino." Naruto mused, then he turned slightly.

"Kurenai, any word on what happened to the other teams?"

"I haven't heard anything about most of them, but I spoke to Asuma-k… _ahem_ , Asuma- _san_ just before coming here and he mentioned that his team sought medical attention for Choji on the second day, but they're all fine now."

"Thank goodness." Naruto sighed, then he frowned. "I wonder what happened to them? Ino's getting _very_ good with her trapping skills…"

"You can get the story later." Kurenai shrugged as Shino and Kiba rejoined them.

"A meal." Naruto suggested. "Somewhere where we can talk. All the teams… I think it's probably time they found out…"

Hinata looked at him, then hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Interesting…" Shino mused. "I surmise that the meal will be… educational."

"I know a good restaurant." Kurenai supplied. "It's run by a former ninja who knows all about the need for privacy, I'll ask him for one of the back rooms."

"Thanks." Naruto smiled as Teams seven and nine moved to join them. "Alright, let's find a room to use and I'll whisk everyone to one of the training fields. Which one's the most private?"

"I recommend my team's ground." Gai suggested. "The tag is in an area shielded from casual observers."

"Sounds good." Naruto said, summoning a quintet of clones who ran out of the hall. "I'll see if I can get Ino or Shikamaru to meet us there, find out what happened to them."

"Then what's the fifth clone for?" Kurenai asked.

"I needed to inform Jiji about a certain person..."

.

* * *

.

"Naruto." Shikamaru yawned as soon as everyone had appeared in the training ground.

"Shika." Naruto replied. "You didn't make it to the tower. What happened?"

"Exploding squirrels which until then, I thought were just a silly rumor." Shikamaru supplied, causing Tenten, Neji and a still-groggy Lee to nod in recognition. "We were setting up an ambush ahead of one of the other teams when one triggered the trap early. Choji got hit by several of the senbon, then the squirrel detonated and knocked him over, landing on Ino's kit. We decided to get help rather than risk the various poisons interacting badly."

"A wise decision." Gai smiled. "The health of your comrades is of paramount importance!"

"How is Choji?" Sakura asked and Shikamaru smiled.

"Almost completely recovered, he'll be out of hospital by the end of the day."

"Tomorrow?" Naruto asked Kurenai, who nodded.

"Tomorrow? What about tomorrow?" Shikamaru queried.

.

"Hiashi-sama." Neji bowed and Hiashi looked up from the paperwork that he was perusing.

"Neji." Hiashi replied. "I heard that you have made it into the final exam. You have something on your mind?"

"Have you heard _how_ I qualified?" Neji asked and Hiashi cocked an eyebrow.

"No, only that you did. I admit that I had assumed that it was your prowess in our fighting art that secured your victory… am I mistaken?"

Neji paused for a long moment. "No… but you are not correct, either. The elimination match was between Hinata-san and myself."

"As I half-expected." Hiashi nodded. "It is an open secret amongst those who have attained the rank of Jonin that the names chosen are only _partially_ randomized. The match-ups are occasionally adjusted to either eliminate repetition that would cause the audience of the final stage to become bored, or to give a genin an easier path through if they have a reputation that would lead to Konoha's international standing being reduced should they fail. Since genin from the other hidden villages are not well-known enough to be used in the matches in question, the selections tend to pit the Konoha genin that _should_ advance against one who is nowhere near strong enough to be _allowed_ to advance."

Neji stared at his uncle for a moment, his sense of betrayal obvious, before he managed to get his expression back under control.

"So… I was to be sacrificed for my cousin to advance?"

"I believe it was meant to be the other way around." Hiashi gently corrected him. "My daughter would not use the one move that would have granted her victory, her heart is too gentle for that."

As he spoke, Hiashi's hand briefly formed the seal that would let him activate the Caged Bird Seal on Neji's forehead, then he dropped his hand back onto the desk, knowing that Neji had caught his meaning.

"So… how did you win?"

"Hinata declared that she was not yet skilled and experienced enough to seek the rank of chunin, so she forfeited in order to allow me to continue." Neji replied.

"…my daughter is wiser than she knows." Hiashi mused. "Naruto has truly been good for her."

Neji cocked his head questioningly as Hiashi refocused on him.

"What are your feelings on her actions?"

"I… do not know." Neji admitted. "Finding out that the fight between us was manipulated rather than fated… that I advanced because of her choice, that she thought I would make a better chunin than her… I… I just don't know…"

Hiashi nodded approvingly. "It is when we admit that we do not know everything that we can truly start to grow."

"I started learning that after the first few times my team went up against Naruto-sama." Neji admitted. "I found that he could use against me everything I didn't know."

Hiashi stared at him, then nodded as if he had made a decision.

"I will train you personally in the _full_ ways of the _Jyuuken_." He declared, causing Neji to stare at him in shock. "There are still things you do not know… and not all of them relate to our art…"

Neji looked at him, then frowned as a new thought occurred.

"Wait, if the matches are adjusted, how did Uchiha Sasuke end up facing a foreign ninja? Should he not have faced a Konoha shinobi weaker than him?"

"That _is_ a puzzling question." Hiashi allowed.

.

"Just here, Lord Hokage." The Tech-nin said, pointing to a small device embedded in the computer. "It looks like a one-shot unit, use it once before it burns out, but it let someone change one of the settings."

"Interesting." Hiruzen mused, crouching to get a better look. "Of course, the question was, who was it aimed at? Did someone want to stop Sasuke from proceeding to the final stage? Did they want the Sound-nin to fail? Did they think the Sound-nin could stop Sasuke, or were they counting on him failing?"

"And who." The Tech-nin added. "Oto is the obvious candidate, but…"

"Indeed." Sarutobi said as he straightened up, suppressing a wince as his back twinged. "New village with several strong shinobi that no-one's ever heard of before, accepting nuke-nin into its ranks… an easy choice for a victim to frame if you wish to distract someone. No, they're too obvious… but that leaves only Suna and Mizu, unless it is a plan by someone who believes that _they_ should be the Hokage and are seeking to set up a series of events to discredit me… See if you can find out anything else about that device."

The tech-nin nodded and carefully extracted the half-melted piece of technology from the circuit board that it had been attached to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shinobi may know of Occam's Razor, but their natural sneakiness often mitigates against using it…
> 
> As for the matches, they are –  
> (1- Sasuke vs Tenten) (2- Sakura vs Kiba) (3 - Temari vs Kin) (4 - Neji vs Haku) (5 - Shino vs Gaara)  
>  (6 -Winner 1 vs Winner 2) (7 - Winner 3 vs Winner 4) (8 - Winner 5 vs Winner 6)  
>  (9 - Winner 7 vs Winner 8)


	33. A Genin's Revelations

The sliding door closed behind the departing waiter and Naruto took the opportunity to look around.

Several of the other genin had been confused by the fact that their Jonin-Senseis had insisted that Naruto sat at the head of the table (even though it was oval), despite the fact that as an _independent_ genin rather than an _elite_ genin, he was technically the lowest-ranked of them all.

Hinata was sat by Naruto's left with Shino, Akamaru, Kiba and Kurenai beyond her. To his right were Neji (who was occasionally glancing across as if to check that Naruto wasn't taking liberties with Hinata, or vice-versa), Tenten, Lee and Gai. Kakashi was sat beside Gai, occasionally throwing a teasing comment at him while ignoring Gai's half-joking complaints about his _unyouthful_ _behavior_ and his team was lined up beyond him while the final quarter was taken up by Team 10 with their Jonin-sensei Asuma sat smiling next to Kurenai.

"That was an amazing meal." Kiba sighed, looking at the spot where his plate had been until the waiter had removed it.

"There's still pudding to go, right?" Choji asked and several chuckles sounded.

"There is, but before pudding, there's some business to take care of." Asuma noted. "Naruto?"

Naruto nodded as everyone looked at him, the Jonin in support and the genin with curiosity.

"Before we begin, does anyone know what the word _Jinchuuriki_ refers to?" Naruto asked. The genin exchanged confused glances, except for Hinata who snuggled against his side.

"Power… of human sacrifice?" Shikamaru offered and Naruto nodded.

"That's the translation of it, yes. There can only be a maximum of nine Jinchuuriki at any given time. Asuma…?"

"Suna has one, as does Taki." Asuma supplied. "Mizu, Kumo and Iwa all have two each."

"That's only eight." Shikamaru noted.

"I'll get to that in a moment." Naruto replied. "A _Jinchuuriki_ is a shinobi who has had one of the nine _Biju_ sealed into them, usually during infancy. This is intended to allow them to use the _Biju_ 's chakra as if it was their own, as well as the _Biju_ 's special abilities. For instance, the Ichibi can control sand."

"Judging from your comment, I would postulate a high probability of Gaara being a _Jinchuuriki_." Shino said.

"You'd be right, he is." Naruto confirmed. "I don't know if it's his normal personality or if there was something done wrong with the seal, but he's a psychopath who loves killing. Taking him down will be very hard, he's got more chakra than the Hokage and uses a layer of sand over his skin to protect himself from harm."

"I may need to seriously rethink my tactics." Shino admitted. "You have my gratitude for the information you have provided."

"Yeah. Point is, though, he _isn't_ the Ichibi, he's the _container_ for it. Kinda like if you seal a kunai into a scroll, the scroll _doesn't_ become the kunai."

"Well said." Tenten noted.

"Many people don't see it that way." Naruto continued. "One particularly nasty myth is that sealing the _Biju_ into a child kills the child and the _Biju_ wears the body like a glove. That's not true, but if you don't know anything about sealing, you might believe it."

"That's a _nasty_ rumor." Ino shivered. "Just enough _yech_ in it to appeal to the meaner type of gossipers."

"I can confirm it's not true." Naruto supplied and Shikamaru gave him a long look.

"I had suspected something like that."

"You had suspected something like _what_?" Ino asked.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto, who gave him a nod.

"Naruto is the _Jinchuuriki_ of the Kyuubi."

"You're kidding!" Ino laughed. "He can't be the… wait. He _is_?"

"I am." Naruto agreed. "Like my mother before me was, and her aunt before her. You may have heard of them, Uzumaki Kushina and Uzumaki Mito, better known as… _Senju_ Mito."

The entire room was silent with both Ino and Sakura staring at him wide-eyed.

"On the day of my birth, something happened and the Kyuubi escaped from its seal." Naruto continued. "My father led the fight against it and my parents sacrificed their own lives to seal it away."

"Wait, wait, wait." Sakura protested. " _Your father_ led the fight against the Kyuubi? But all the histories I've read about it said that the… Yondaime… Hokage… Oh. My. Kamis."

"I see you've worked it out." Naruto chuckled as Sakura's eyes widened so much that she could have been mistaken for Lee's sister. "My parents were the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato and the Red Hot Habenero, Uzumaki Kushina."

"Then why are you an Uzumaki rather than…" Shikamaru began before he paused and face-palmed. "Iwa."

"Iwa." Asuma agreed. "Dad decided that he'd let Naruto keep one of his parents names, but calling him Namikaze was just begging for assassins to flood the village."

"As for the civilians disliking me… remember the rumor I mentioned earlier?"

"And not many shinobi study _fuuinjutsu_ for more than sealing scrolls and explosive tags." Shikamaru commented.

"So quite a few shinobi disliked me as well." Naruto agreed. "As a kid, I sought attention because no-one really gave me any. That's why I became such a loudmouth. Even if people were scowling at me and telling me to shut up, they were still paying attention and _any_ attention was better than none at all."

"No-one taught him how to read, or make friends, or anything like that." Hinata said sadly and Naruto gave her a one-armed hug.

"It was only _after_ I graduated that I found someone willing to actually teach me the basics." Naruto continued, giving Hinata a grateful glance. "Hinata-Hime is why I got so much better… or at least less dreadful… between graduation and team assignments. After I learned how to read, I almost devoured the civilian and shinobi libraries… the _genin_ portion of the library, anyway. I even found a copy of Uchiha Madara's treatise on traps."

Most of the genin briefly winced in painful memory while Ino growled.

"I also got the few scrolls my parents had left me and that had survived the Kyuubi. Between the scrolls and several teachers that Jiji found for me, I learned how to do the _Rasengan_ and a version of the _Hiraishin_."

Kiba and Shino both nodded, as did Neji, Tenten and Lee.

"Before we continue," Asuma interjected, "I must point out that Naruto's burden and heritage are S-class secrets. Only he and my father can speak of them without suffering _severe_ penalties."

"Thanks, Asuma-san." Naruto smiled.

"Question." Tobio raised his hand. "Did Hinata already know?"

"I told her a while back." Naruto admitted while Hinata smiled. "She took it far better than I feared."

"She glomped him." Kurenai giggled. "Hiashi told me. He was… _almost_ smiling."

"Anyway." Naruto said quellingly, pausing as he realized just _who_ it was he had tried to quell. " _The Kyuubi_ is the great secret that your parents weren't allowed to tell you as well as the reason that many of the adults warned their children away from me."

"Does explain why you smell of fox." Kiba mused, then he grinned. "So, Hinata loves snuggling her foxy-boy, huh?"

Naruto opened his mouth, then paused as he glanced down to see Hinata's vacant, happy gaze.

"Dammit, Kiba." He grumbled. "Now I'll have to come up with a new _Henge_."

"What?" Sakura asked, completely lost by the sudden turn of conversation.

"Can we have pudding now?" Choji asked.

.

* * *

.

"Father, I will need assistance in formulating new tactics."

Aburame Shibi looked at his son, one eyebrow raised just enough to show above his sunglasses. "Elucidate."

"I have been informed that my primary adversary in the final stage is the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi who is gifted with the ability to manipulate sand to such a degree that he utilizes it as a protective exoskeleton of his own. This is in addition to his ability to wield large quantities of it in both lethal offense and powerful defense."

"Then the obvious solution is to prevent him from _using_ his sand." Shibi mused. "A thought occurs to me, but we shall need to examine the stadium to determine its validity. You may also be required to learn water-walking, if you have not done so already…"

.

* * *

.

"That was fast." Sasuke gasped, staring at the low, round house in front of him.

"Naruto helped and we had a lot of building material in Wave that he helped send over." Tazuna shrugged. "Once the foundations were ninj'd into place, building the actual house was easy. Can I show you around?"

Sasuke followed Tazuna through the front door and into a large room that seemed to take up half the total floor-space.

"This is the general area for guests and so on." Tazuna explained. "Those stairs lead to the balcony. That door is a small bathroom with a toilet and sink while over there is a general kitchen area for making snacks and so on. There's a corridor that goes round from that door to that one, but we're going this way."

Sasuke followed Tazuna down a corridor to the junction.

"Kitchen/dining room on that side, general room on that one." Tazuna pointed. "Staircase at the back leads up _and_ down, there's a basement below for storageand so on, but we're going up."

Sasuke glanced down into the basement before following Tazuna up the stairs and through another, shorter, corridor.

"Four bedrooms of equal size, one bathroom with shower and a windowed area for whatever you need it for." Tazuna said, then he led Sasuke out through a central door. "And the roof balcony."

"The house seems to be based on the Uchiha Fan." Sasuke noted and Tazuna nodded.

"That's right."

"I… like it."

.

* * *

.

Onoki stared at the man standing in front of him.

"Akatsuchi's team… failed?"

"I'm afraid so, Onoki-Sama." Kage replied. "He sent me ahead to tell you that he's confirmed that Naruto is indeed the son of Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato, as well as having knowledge of _both_ of his father's techniques."

"Fuck." Onoki swore. "This is _not_ good."

Onoki glowered at the far wall, then looked at Kage curiously. "Is there something else?"

"On my way back, I made contact with an injured shinobi." Kage said, pulling out a prisoner scroll. "When he realized how fast I could move, he asked if I could use one of his scrolls to carry him."

As he spoke, Kage unrolled the scroll and applied some chakra to it, causing a figureto appear in a cloud of chakra smoke and Onoki's eyes widened in shock.

"Kitsuchi?"

"Your son-in-law, on his way back from his mission." Kage confirmed. "Apparently it was a success."

"Lord… Tsuchikage…" Kitsuchi managed to whisper and Onoki looked down at him.

"Stay quiet." He commanded. "Report later, for now, I think you need to recover. And don't fake your death again without informing me first, dammit!"

"Sorry… pops." Kitsuchi managed, then his eyes closed.

"MEDIC!"

.

* * *

.

"What a day." Naruto sighed as he closed his door, then he paused as a flash of golden light from outside reflected off the walls. Turning, he re-opened the door just in time to see the three men who had taught him the _Hiraishin_ vanish, leaving Hinata standing alone.

"Hinata?"

"Hello, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled as she walked up to him and gave him a quick hug. "I told my dad about what you did today and he agreed with my suggestion."

Naruto shook his head in confusion. "I'm sorry, what suggestion?"

"You just told eleven people your deepest secret." Hinata said, gently pushing Naruto backwards so that she could enter his house. "After a day like that, you need some serious snuggle time, right?"

For a long moment, Naruto simply stared at her, then he grinned and caught her up in a huge hug, causing the bag that she had been carrying to drop onto the ground.

.

"You were right." Kiba said, lowering his binoculars. "Just as you predicted."

Beside him, Shino nodded, lowering his own binoculars with an air of satisfaction.

"I believe that we should leave them be." He said and Kiba nodded.

"Yep. I've got to get some sleep, mom's going to teach me a new move tomorrow."

"I shall look forwards to seeing it in the finals." Shina said as the duo slithered backwards over the ridge of the valley, making certain that they were completely concealed before standing up.

"See you at the next team meeting." Kiba said and Shino nodded.

Neither of them saw the amused expression of their Sensei, watching them from behind a _genjutsu_ while sitting on a tree branch above their heads. As they departed, her gaze moved to the circular window where Hinata was laying out both her pajamas and Naruto's.

"Sleep well." Kurenai whispered with a soft smile. "I am so proud of you, Hinata. So proud."


	34. Discussions And Decisions

"Sensei…" Sakura began and Kakashi gave her a quizzical look as he pocketed his book. "About yesterday…"

"It's safe to talk about it." Kakashi said, motioning for the other two genin to join him at the three stumps. "The law says that one who knows about Naruto's burden may not speak of it to anyone who doesn't know. What did you want to know? I thought he covered it pretty well yesterday…"

Sakura looked slightly embarrassed, but plunged ahead. "After we had the Bell Test… I overheard someone say that it was Naruto you asked for… was it because of his father?"

"It was." Kakashi confirmed. "I thought that by being around him, I could try to make up for not being there when he was younger, but… he _really_ looks like Sensei, but he thinks almost like Kushina did…"

"So you'd have been happy to train him instead?" Tobio asked as he rubbed at the bandages on his neck and Kakashi _hmmmm_ 'd in thought.

"I'm not sure I'd have taught him well." He finally admitted. "I only really looked at what I had become _because_ he chose to walk away. If I hadn't done that… I'm not sure how much of a teacher I'd have been."

"All of the _Jinchuuriki_ of the Kyuubi have been from the Uzumaki clan." Sasuke stated and Kakashi nodded.

"The Uzumaki clan were renowned for their longevity, endurance, _fuuinjutsu_ skills and their powerful chakra reserves. Only an Uzumaki could survive having the Kyuubi sealed into them."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "I see. Naruto was the only choice."

"And he suffered because of it." Kakashi sighed. "Shunned, virtually abandoned… despised by those who couldn't tell the difference between the prison and the prisoner… I still don't know how he didn't go psychotic. Maybe a full round of tests might tell us, but I don't think Naruto'd sit still that long."

Tobio and Sasuke snorted at the thought of Naruto trying to sit through the first stage of the Chunin Exam.

"So!" Kakashi chirped, clapping his hands. "Moving on, training for the finals. Sakura, Anko's expressed an interest in taking time off her T&I duties in order to devote _all_ of her time to your training. Since you still need help with taijutsu and battle tactics, I told her that I'd pass her offer on. If you choose to try elsewhere, I'll do my best to find you another tutor. Since Sasuke's finally managed to develop his third tomoe in his Sharingan and I have a Sharingan, I need to help him finish adjusting, but I'll make sure to check in with you at least twice a week."

Sakura nodded. "Thanks, Sensei. Tell Anko-sensei I accept."

"Tobio, you may want to do more than simply train, so I've contacted a Tokubetsu Jonin called Ebisu who's agreed to take you, Rock Lee and Hyuuga Hinata as a temporary team from tomorrow until after the finals. It'll only be for one day in three since he has quite a few other commitments he needs to attend to, but he'll also oversee your training on those days as well. For the other two days, Asuma has offered to take you under his wing alongside team ten."

"Thanks, Sensei." Tobio smiled.

"Anything for my students." Kakashi said with his standard eye-smile.

.

"Good morning." Kurenai smiled to her trio of students. "Hinata, I hope you slept well."

To Kurenai's amusement, Hinata blushed bright red while both Shino and Kiba tried to conceal their own smiles.

"Shino, Kiba, congratulations on your victories." Kurenai continued. "However, this does make the month ahead a bit more complex."

All three genin were looking at her with Hinata no longer blushing.

"Kiba, Shino, since you will both need to train further in your families styles, I would suggest that we only train as a team once every three days. For each of the other two days, I will help one of you two to improve in whichever field you think you need most."

"Ano… and me…?" Hinata asked quietly.

"Since Tobio and Rock Lee didn't make it to the finals, I would like you to join them as part of a temporary team under Special Jonin Ebisu." Kurenai said with a gentle smile. "It will help you learn how to work with others, although it will only be for one day in three."

"So I have one day in three to do whatever I want?" Hinata asked and Kurenai nodded.

"Yes, you can spend it with Naruto." She half-teased, causing Hinata to blush again.

"Hey, Hinata." Kiba said, causing the girl to turn to look at him. "During one of your days off, can I spar with you? I need to get better at fighting a Jyuuken user if I'm gonna kick your cousin's ass."

"Although I believe that it shall be _myself_ in that position, your idea has much to recommend it." Shino said, earning a growl from Kiba. "I also would appreciate the occasional spar."

"We can arrange it all once we get the schedule settled." Kurenai interjected. "Now, let's talk about yesterday and the revelation…"

"I'm cool with it." Kiba shrugged. "Naruto's still Naruto. Explains his scent, but other than that, nothing's changed."

"That position is one that I find myself aligned with." Shino said in agreement, causing Hinata to smile in gratitude at her team-mates.

.

"Sensei." Ino smiled even as she continued to dip senbon in a small bottle, placing the treated senbon in a special holder.

"Sensei." Choji nodded, quickly finishing off his bag of crisps.

Shikamaru merely waved from the slight rise where he was cloud watching.

"So." Asuma said. "You've had all night to consider what you've learned yesterday. I said it before and I'll say it again, Naruto is still Naruto."

"We know." Shikamaru yawned. "We were discussing it before you came, as well as what it means for Naruto."

"He'll be a target." Ino stated, glancing up from her work. "His parents, the Kyuubi… that reminds me. Is he rich? Did he inherit the entire fortune of Uzushiogakure?"

"No, because there wasn't one." Asuma stated as he pulled out his packet of cigarettes and flicked it using a precise burst of chakra to shift one cigarette enough that it extended out of the box, easy to grab. "Kushina came here before Uzu fell. The attackers took everything that they could, but most of Uzu's treasures were destroyed."

Shikamaru frowned.

"Scrolls. Information. Techniques."

"Correct." Asuma confirmed. "The Uzumaki Clan, the leaders that Uzu officially _didn't_ have, were masters of _fuuinjutsu_. The things that they could do with it was incredible. Some claim that the Uzumaki Clan's seven greatest _fuuinjutsu_ masters were the true creators of the Seven Swords of the Mist."

"And it was their skill that caused the other villages to unite and destroy them." Shikamaru concluded.

"If their message had got through, then the Hidden Villages would now consist of Suna, Konoha and Uzu." Asuma said, his gaze fixed on something that no-one else could see. "Iwa, Kumo and Mizu united to attack Uzushiogakure in the hope of weakening Konoha ready for them to invade and destroy. However, Uzu did not go down easily.  
"Jiraiya managed to piece together what happened. Uzu was betrayed. The other villages sent diplomats who were actually saboteurs. They disabled the outer defenses and killed many of the senior shinobi just as the main forces attacked.  
"The villages expected a slaughter and they got one, but not how they expected. The actual records are sealed, but for each Uzu shinobi who fell, seven attackers died. Even the Uzu genin were taking on Jonin and holding their own.  
"When they ran out of swords and kunai, they used stones and sticks. When they ran out of those, they used their teeth and bare hands. They never ran out of courage but in the end… they ran out of time.  
"Uzu was destroyed. What the fighting didn't demolish, the trap-jutsu did. The skyscrapers tumbled, the foundations cracked and the island became uninhabitable.  
"And Konoha's forces arrived three days too late, just in time to see the enemy ships sail away, carrying only a tithe of the army that had assaulted the swirling tide."

The genin all stared at him.

"Did you ever wonder why Konoha won the last Shinobi war when Suna effectively sat it out and the others allied against us?" Asuma asked. "Sure, quite a bit of it was the Yondaime, but even he wouldn't have been able to turn the tide had Uzu not inflicted so many casualties on the armies that attacked it."

"And Naruto is an Uzumaki…" Shikamaru breathed. "No wonder he can be so troublesome…"

"Speaking of troublesome," Asuma interjected, "We're getting a temporary member from Team Seven."

"Sasuke!" Ino squealed and Asuma shook his head.

"Nope. Tobio."

"Makes sense." Shikamaru muttered just loud enough for the others to hear him. "Like us, he didn't make it through."

"But Sakura and Sasuke did." Asuma confirmed. "He's not going to be here every day since he's also on another part-time team, but he will be doing some of the missions with us…"

.

"Good morning, my youthful students!" Maito Gai declaimed as he somersaulted into the training ground.

"Good morning, Gai-Sensei!" Lee shouted back, almost drowning out the greetings of the other two.

Gai motioned for them to approach as he sat down.

"Before we get started for the day, may I say once again how proud I am of all of you." Gai stated with none of his usual bombastic personality in evidence. "Neji, you made it through without having to reveal the depth of your skills, a fact which will help you during the finals as your opponents will not know what to expect. Tenten, your opponent will be able to match any jutsu you use and will have a perception advantage, but I believe that you can defeat him and I will gladly give both of you whatever help I can.  
"Lee, it is unfortunate that you went up against a Kunoichi who was strong in the art of _genjutsu_. I have spoken to Tokubetsu Jonin Ebisu about that and he has promised to cover _genjutsu_ and how to fight them in more depth than I did. I failed you, Lee, and for that I apologize."

"You did not fail me, Gai-sensei!" Lee protested. "Without your help and example, I would never have become a ninja, let alone one who has completed as many missions as I have!"

" _Before_ this goes mushy," Tenten interjected, "What are we doing about training? I mean, Neji has his entire clan to help him…"

Neji nodded in agreement.

"…but I don't have a shinobi clan to help me learn new things."

"I will be your primary tutor, aiding you in improving your skills." Gai said. "I made a study of how to fight a user of the _Sharingan_ when I was younger and since Uchiha Sasuke will be your first match, I will gladly teach you all that I discovered regarding it."

"Why would you do that?" Neji wondered. "Was it Itachi?"

"It was my eternal rival!" Gai corrected. "When Kakashi lost his team-mate but gained the _sharingan_ , I began studying for the matches I would have against him."

"That… actually makes sense…" Tenten mused.

.

Ibiki frowned at the sound of cackling echoing through the base. Filing away the report on the failed capture of the now-fugitive genin Iryonin Yakushi Kabuto, he rose from behind his desk and stalked out of his office, his trenchcoat flaring dramatically behind him.

It had taken a very expensive tailor to achieve that effect, but it was generally worth it.

Striding down the subterranean corridor, he came to a halt by another door and rapped once on it, causing the cackling to halt as if a switch had been thrown. A few seconds later, the door was flung open.

"Wha… oh. Hi, Ibiki. Need me for another job?"

"Actually, no." Ibiki rumbled. "However, you have piqued my curiosity."

Anko went blank for a moment. "What?"

"You were cackling." Ibiki explained. "I actually cannot remember the last time that I heard you cackling. What happened?"

"Ohhhhh, it's awesome!" Anko snickered. "Not only have I seen Kakashi without his mask, I'm about to go and get my sort-of-apprentice _full-time_ to train up for the finals!"

Ibiki blinked, unable to decide which of the two facts were more important.

"Kakashi showed you his face?" He finally asked and Anko bounced up and down with excitement.

"Yes! Ebisu owes me a bottle of Sake! He's _not_ bucktoothed!"


	35. A Genin's training

"This seems… almost boring." Hinata admitted as she and Naruto slowly walked along the top of the wall surrounding Konoha.

"Boring is good." Naruto countered, his eyes scanning the treetops as he used the quote that Kosuke had used on him months before. "It's when things get _exciting_ that you know it's gone bad."

"I never really thought that _walking the wall_ would be like this." Hinata commented. "I suppose that it's a fallback mission for those genin who aren't on a team or have non-shinobi jobs…"

Naruto nodded. "So, who is Kurenai training today?"

"Shino today, Kiba tomorrow." Hinata replied. "We're only doing one full team training day a week and one team mission, although both Kiba and Shino have asked me to spar with each once a week so that they can work out ways to beat the _Jyuuken_."

"They both seem quite confident." Naruto laughed, earning a confused look. "The way the matches are set up, they'll have to face each other first and then the winner is the one who'll have a chance to face Neji in the final match."

Hinata nodded in agreement. "So, once we've walked the wall, what then?"

"Jiraiya was saying something about teaching me to summon." Naruto stated while Hinata activated her _byakugan_ to scan the nearby woods. "I'm afraid that the summon clan in question is known to only take one person per generation. Jiraiya, dad and now, hopefully, me."

"Can I attend?" Hinata asked hopefully. "I don't really have anything planned for the rest of the day…"

"Sure." Naruto shrugged, then he frowned. "Summoning takes a _lot_ of chakra. Even if they accept you as a _potential_ summoner, you might not be able to _actually_ summon them for _ages_ …"

"I know." Hinata said with a shrug of her own. "But some day I will go up against a shinobi who _can_ use summons, so learning all I can about them beforehand is just common sense… what's that?"

Naruto paused as he looked out, his gaze coming to rest on the bird that had erupted from the tree canopy.

"Not certain." He said, palming a kunai, then reversing his grip on it so that he could use it to tap out a generic warning notification. "Is it within your visual range yet?"

"Not ye… wait! One shinobi, moving towards us at high speed… pursued by three more!"

Naruto summoned a horde of _kage Bunshin_ which promptly flooded down the wall and into the woods.

"He's been hit!" Hinata gasped as Naruto tossed the kunai to a clone who took over relaying the message even as he summoned a second wave of clones. "They're closing in on him and… Yes! Your clones are there!"

A flash of light lanced up through the trees even as masked ANBU started appearing beside the two genin.

"They're retreating now that they've lost their target." Hinata reported. "Moving fast and… and they've got out of my range. Sorry."

"Don't be." One of the ANBU said as the others launched themselves into the woods. "Good work with the alert. What happened to the runner?"

"I sent him straight to the special cell in T&I with a clone to explain things to them." Naruto said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I… didn't recognize him, so…"

"Will we ever find out what this was all about?" Hinata asked and Naruto shook his head.

"Highly unlikely. You're an elite genin with a Jonin-Sensei, so you haven't really discovered just how much of what normal shinobi get caught up in is classified as _need to know_. If you don't _need_ to know…" Naruto trailed off with a shrug and Hinata made a face, then she frowned in thought.

"Do you know what happened to that ninja who bowed out… what was his name… Kabuto?"

"Officially, no." Naruto sighed. " _Unofficially_ , judging from the rumors I've overheard, he's vanished. Not _ANBU_ vanished, but _vanished_ vanished."

Hinata blinked. "He's just… vanished?"

"His Sensei doesn't know where he went." Naruto confirmed. "I don't know any more than that at the moment."

"Need to know, right?" Hinata sighed and Naruto nodded.

"Need to know."

.

* * *

.

"Ah, the love-birds have arrived." Jiraiya smirked as Naruto and Hinata appeared in a flash of light. Naruto turned to face his sensei even as his clone moved into the house to begin making lunch.

"Jiraiya-sama." Hinata said politely as Jiraiya put his notebook away.

"Hyuuga-sama." Jiraiya returned. "Naruto sent a clone ahead to inform me that you would be here as an observer. Hey, brat! I heard you let in the other rookies on the secret of your burden. Sure that was wise?"

"Given what's already been revealed about me, it was only a matter of time." Naruto sighed. "Better to control it, rather than have them get part of the truth and a ton of lies."

"True." Jiraiya agreed. "At least you had a good reason. I assume you had backup, just in case things went wrong?"

"Hinata and the four Jonin-Senseis." Naruto supplied and Jiraiya smiled at him approvingly.

"Excellent. In most circumstances, you can never have too much backup."

" _Most_ circumstances?" Hinata queried.

"Covert infiltration." Jiraiya replied. "The more backup you have, the more likely it is that someone'll slip up and blow the whole thing, or your backup will be discovered and things'll get fu- _reaking_ difficult to escape from."

"Nice correction." Naruto smirked and Jiraiya gave him an amused glare.

"Be nice, brat, or I might decide to wait until you're a chunin for this."

"You wouldn't do that to my fiancee, would you, Jiraiya-sama?"

Naruto took a moment to admire how Hinata had managed to pull off the perfect _Kawaii no Jutsu_ , widening her eyes, summoning just a hint of tears in the corners, while her posture had changed from _competent kunoichi_ to _totally cute and innocent moe_.

"Argh! Dammit!" Jiraiya shouted, raising his hands to cover his eyes. "Stop her! She's too damned cute! I'll teach you anything, just stop her before she destroys my defenses!"

"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama." Hinata said, ending the technique.

Jiraiya peeped between his fingers, sighed in relief and then took his previous stance as if nothing had happened.

"So, summoning." Jiraiya said. "All summon tribes have different strengths and weaknesses. Some are stealthy, some are used mainly for transport, some are used in combat, but they all have the same thing in common, they all need the same summoning technique.  
"But simply doing a Summon is a bad move as if you don't _have_ a signed contract, you'll be reverse-summoned to the Summons Tribe that best matches your personality, and most of them don't actually _like_ humans. Some of them live in places that would kill a person instantly, so _unless_ you've signed a summons scroll, don't even _think_ of trying it."

Both genin nodded at the sheer sincerity in Jiraiya's warning.

"And speaking of scrolls…" Jiraiya added, unslinging the giant scroll he was carrying across his back. "Here we go, the Toad Summoning Contract."

Naruto looked at the long scroll, then his eyes moved to the last two names exposed on it.

"Who's Arashi?"

"What?" Jiraiya stared at Naruto. "Arashi?"

"It's the name just there, Arashi."

Jiraiya looked at it, then he shook his head. "No, that says Minato."

"It looks like Arashi…" Hinata mused as she followed Naruto's gaze.

Jiraiya _humph_ ed as he pointed at the first empty space.

"Okay, Naruto, before we go any further, you need to sign there, in blood. Blood is _very_ important for things like this, so… good."

Naruto plunged the kunai into the ground to clean it even as he used his right hand to sign his name.

"Good calligraphy." Hinata said approvingly as she used the _Mystical Palm_ technique on Naruto's left hand, closing and healing the cut across the ball of his thumb.

"Excellent." Jiraiya smiled. "Now, these are the seals. _Boar_ , _Dog_ , _Bird_ , _Monkey_ , _Ram_ , blood and hand on ground"

Naruto slowly ran through the seals.

"How much chakra do I need? And how does it need to be released?"

"As much as you can." Jiraiya replied. "Half and half. Half through the seals, the rest when you've drawn blood and put your hand on the ground. I'd suggest biting your thumb for the blood."

Naruto nodded, then frowned. "As much chakra as possible, right?"

Jiraiya nodded, then blinked in confusion as Hinata quickly stepped back.

" _Kaimon_! _Kyumon_! _Seimon_!"

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock as a chakra aura roared into life around Naruto and his skin turned red, then Naruto blurred through the five hand-seals, bit the tip of his thumb and slammed his hand down.

" _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

A cloud of smoke briefly blotted Naruto from sight, then a new voice spoke.

" **Jiraiya? We were just about to eat!"**

" **Oh, hush, I'm sure that he has a good reason for summoning us."**

"Ma? Pa?" Jiraiya gaped as the cloud dissipated to reveal a pair of ancient toads looking up at him.

" **Hmmm."** The male toad mused. **"Come to think of it, that didn't quite** _ **feel**_ **like Jiraiya summoning us."**

" **We've got a new summoner?"** The female toad asked. **"Well, it's about time. We were starting to think you'd never get over the death of your apprentice."**

Hinata looked up from where she was supporting Naruto, who had half-collapsed against her, but was watching the two toads with fascination even as his skin slowly lost its reddish hue.

"You knew the Yondaime?"

" **We were about to teach him the art of Toad Senjutsu, but he went up against the Kyuubi and died."** Pa Toad said, turning to look at the two genin.

" **Oh look, young love."** Ma Toad gushed as she peered round Pa Toad and caught sight of the duo. **"I remember when** _ **we**_ **used to cuddle like that… we don't cuddle like that much these days, To-chan… I miss the cuddles..."**

The male toad sighed, then turned to face Jiraiya. **"Hey, Jiraiya! Stop trying to catch flies and introduce us."**

Jiraiya shook his head in an attempt to refocus. "Introductions. Right. Naruto, Hinata, let me introduce the Two Great Sage Toads, Fukasaku of Mount Myoboku and his wife Shima. Ma, Pa, may I introduce the new Toad Summoner Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, as well as his fiancee, Hyuuga Hinata."

"It is a great honor to meet you." Hinata bowed, managing to support Naruto at the same time.

" **I haven't heard of any of the others getting summoned… first time?"** Fukasaku asked and Naruto nodded.

"I used three gates to make sure I had enough chakra…"

Fukasaku moved closer to Naruto and squinted at him before nodding.

" **Interesting. You have potential. Once you get old enough, you'll do well as a Sage."**

"First of all, we need to get him confirmed as a summoner…" Jiraiya interjected and Fukasaku waved him off.

" **Go perve at some bathing women or something and leave this to me."**

" **While he's doing that,"** Shima said as she hopped to where Hinata was watching Fukasaku leading Naruto to one side, **"will you tell me about yourself? It's not often we get a summoner who has family and family is very important."**

"I… I'm not quite family yet…" Hinata managed and Shima waved her hand dismissively.

" **Nonsense, you're his fiancee and from how I saw you hugging him, you two are very much in love. I can** _ **smell**_ **your love for him, you know. We toads are good at things like that…"**

Hinata looked at the elderly toad, then across to where Fukasaku was talking to Naruto in a low but intense voice.

" **Don't worry. He's safe with To-chan."**

"Ano… I'm Hyuuga Hinata, former heir to the Hyuuga Clan…" Hinata began.

.

* * *

.

"So, how did it go?" Hiruzen asked without bothering to look up from his paperwork and Jiraiya chuckled from where he was sprawled on the windowsill.

"Kid not only managed it first time, he did something that caught me by surprise."

"He summoned Gamabunta?"

"That was the _second_ time." Jiraiya smirked. "The first time, he summoned Ma and Pa."

For a long moment, the apparently innocuous comment didn't register, then the brush fell from Hiruzen's hand.

" _What_?!"

"Brat used three Gates to make sure he had enough chakra." Jiraiya laughed. "Overshot considerably and summoned both Ma and Pa. Pa took it on himself to teach Naruto how to summon more efficiently, faster seals, slight adjustments to chakra flow, things like that, while Ma and Hinata were sat to one side swapping gossip about their respective clans. You almost had to have been there."

"It sounds like it." Hiruzen agreed, leaning back in his chair and pulling his pipe out. "So, are you going to teach him more tomorrow?"

"We did a test." Jiraiya shrugged. "Did you know that if you put a _Hiraishin_ tag in the summons realm, you can use it to get there by yourself? We had Pa Toad take back a Kunai, then Naruto sent a clone through to test. He even got the memories back."

"Wait." Hiruzen said, his hands frozen in the middle of refilling his pipe. "You mean…?"

"Yep." Jiraiya replied. "He's going to head over there tomorrow to meet all of the Toads and get their permission to summon them."

"Amazing." Hiruzen breathed. "Amazing…"

"Ain't it just." Jiraiya agreed, then he frowned. "I'll need to tell him what sort of things to take, though… maybe tag along..."


	36. A Genin Among The Toads

A flash of golden light briefly illuminated the room and when it died down, three blonds were standing in a circle around a larger, white-haired figure. For a long moment, no-one moved, then two of the blonds vanished in clouds of smoke.

"Well, pervy sage, you now know beyond all doubt that it works. I can transport others between realms, not just myself."

" **Pervy sage?"** A large voice chuckled and Jiraiya frowned at his younger companion.

"Dammit, brat. Now Gamabunta's going to be calling me that every time I summon him."

"What?" Naruto shrugged. "I've been calling you it almost since we first met."

" **He's got you pegged… pervy sage."** Gamabunta chuckled and Jiraiya sighed.

"So, what are you going to teach him?"

" **Kid, hop on."** Gamabunta commanded and Naruto jumped onto the proffered webbed hand without any hesitation. **"Jiraiya, Pa wanted to talk to you about trying to deal with your weakness regarding Sage mode. In the meantime, I'm taking the brat to meet the Great Toad Sage."**

"Holy…" Jiraiya yelped. "You're taking him to meet Gamamaru? Kid, be respectful!"

" **Jiraiya! Where have you been?"** Fukakasu shouted as he seemed to appear from nowhere, holding a large stick. **"We have training to do!"**

"Not the stick!" Jiraiya winced. "Please, there must be another way…"

" **There isn't and you know it."** Fukakasu said, jumping onto Jiraiya's shoulder. **"Now, to the Sacred Oil Fountain!"**

Naruto watched from Gamabunta's hand as Jiraiya reluctantly set off.

"Do I want to know what all that is about?"

" **Give it five years or so and it'll be your turn."** Gamabunta shrugged, raising Naruto up to the top of his head. **"Now hold on tight and prepare for a ride!"**

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Naruto whispered to himself as he grabbed the collar of Gamabunta's Kimono as tightly as he could, then used the tree-walking exercise he had so painstakingly learned under Hinata's guidance to anchor himself at every point of contact.

" **And here we go!"** Gamabunta declared as he leaped high into the air.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

.

"Ooof."

Naruto turned his landing into a roll that finished with him spread-eagle on his back, gazing blankly at the sky, until it was eclipsed by Gamabunta's head.

" **Get up."** Gamabunta commanded, although his tone was amused rather than stern. **"The Great Toad Sage is waiting."**

Naruto slowly sat up, checking that the world had stopped spinning, then clambered to his feet and turned to face the large building.

" **Go on."**

Naruto turned and bowed to Gamabunta, who snorted in amusement, then carefully stepped through the doorway and into the columned room.

As his eyes adjusted, Naruto realized that contrary to his first impression, the walls of the room weren't created from pillars but what he had mistaken for columns were in fact giant scrolls placed around the edge of the giant room. In the middle of the room, a huge, brownish Toad the size of Gamabunta but far older watched him, an amused smile on his face.

" **Come in, come in. It's nice to have visitors."** The toad said, waving for Naruto to approach. **"Let me see you… these old eyes of mine don't see all that well… but they still let me see enough…"**

Naruto walked forwards, glancing round. Several of the scrolls, each at least three times longer than he was tall, lay on the ground with a couple of them partially unrolled and positioned so that the Toad in the middle of the room could read them. The toad himself was sat in what appeared to be a raised, stone pool with a small banner hanging from the front, one with the Kanji for _Sage_ on it.

" **So, I am the Great Toad Sage Gamamaru and you would be… who are you again?"**

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto supplied, uncertain as to whether Gamamaru was indeed absent-minded or was testing him. "I am the son of the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato, also known as the Yellow Flash, and his wife Uzumaki Kushina, also known as the Red Hot Habanero. I am the third Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and the student of Jiraiya of the Sannin."

" **Ahhhhh, I remember now!"** Gamamaru exclaimed. **"The mischievous blue-eyed boy!"**

Naruto blinked in confusion. "I… I've calmed down quite a bit… I only really prank people as part of training now…"

A snore was his answer and Naruto stared in shock at Gamamaru.

" **Wake up!"** Shima shouted from just behind Naruto and Gamamaru jolted, causing a small wave of water to spill over the lip of his pond. **"You wanted to talk to this boy, Great Sage."**

" **What boy? Oh,** _ **that**_ **boy! Step closer so I can see you."**

Naruto gave Shima a confused look and she shrugged back before waving him forwards.

" **Hmmmmmmm… Hmmmmmmmmm… yes. Yes, I see. You shall meet a creature with octopus tentacles and fight one with powerful eyes… Yes… yeessssss…"**

Naruto stared at Gamamaru and Shima sighed.

" **He's fallen asleep again… come on. It's time to introduce you to the other Toads."**

Naruto followed Shima out of the room, but paused in the doorway, looking back at the slumbering sage.

"Will he be alright?"

" **Hmmm?"** Shima paused, looking back at the elder Toad. **"Oh, he'll be fine. He often naps like that, not surprising really. You know that he fought alongside the Sage of the Six Paths and his brother when he was younger?"**

"The Sage was real?" Naruto asked in near-shock. "I've heard several of the Hyuuga claim that they were descended from him…"

" **I never met Otsutsuki Hagoromo or Otsusuki Hamura, but I've heard the tales"** Shima mused, **"The Hyuuga you say? If I remember the stories Gamamaru told us correctly, I think it was Hamura who had the Byakugan while Hagoromo had the Rin'negan… or was it the other way around? I'll have to check the archives to see what happened to them, though… I think I remember the moon being involved somehow…"**

Naruto followed the diminutive female as she muttered about her memory not being what it once was.

.

* * *

.

" **Naruto?"**

Naruto gave Gamakichi (who was orange! What an awesome color!) an apologetic shrug as he turned towards the speaker.

"May I help you, Fukasaku-san?"

" **You may as well just call me Pa, like Jiraiya does and your father did."** The elderly toad smiled. **"I've left Jiraiya practicing under Ma's eye and now it's time for** _ **your**_ **training."**

"Sorry, 'kichi." Naruto apologized and the young toad smiled at him.

" **Hey, training from great-gramps is more important than shooting the breeze."** Gamakichi shrugged. **"I'll see you around and remember, have some sweets ready when you summon me!"**

"Sure thing." Naruto laughed as he rose to his feet, then turned to face the elderly Sage. "What training are we doing?"

Fukasaku prodded Naruto's stomach. **"We're going to contact the Kyuubi and start you learning how to use its chakra. Learning how to use chakra that isn't yours but flows through your coils will be a good training exercise for when you finally learn Sage Mode. It'll also help you to stay alive, since it'll give you another weapon to use against those who want to hurt you."**

Naruto looked down at his stomach as if he could see the complex seal that his father had placed on him, despite the t-shirt and haori that he was wearing.

"Can't I… just ignore it?"

Fukasaku gave him a _look_ and Naruto sighed. "Okay. Fine."

" **I'll be in there with you."** Fukasaku offered and Naruto gave him a look of gratitude. **"Now come on, I've had a special area created just for this sort of thing."**

.

"What is this place?" Naruto asked as he looked round the clearing and the trees that surrounded it, trees grown and shaped so that their branches entwined and twisted in patterns somehow similar to some of the fuuinjutsu that he had seen.

" **This is where we shall enter your mindscape."** Fukakasu stated as he clambered onto one of the two flat-topped stones positioned almost in the center of the clearing. **"Now sit down and get ready."**

Naruto carefully sat on the second stone, crossing his legs and placing the backs of his hands on his knees.

" **I was almost afraid that you didn't know** _ **how**_ **to meditate."** Fukasaku said, his voice filled with approval.

"Gai-sensei taught me." Naruto replied. "He explained that there are several different types of meditation and they can be used to help improve control over your body and your chakra. I prefer to use the Katas of the Gentle Breeze Style to meditate, but Gai-sensei insisted I be familiar with all the better-known ways of meditating."

" **Gai… Gai… Gai…"** Fukasaku mused. **"Would that be Maito Gai?"**

"You know him?" Naruto asked and Fukasaku shook his head.

" **Know him, no. Know** _ **of**_ **him, yes. He's the current holder of the Tortoise contract… although it should actually be called the** _ **Tortoise and Turtle**_ **contract…I've heard Ningame moaning that Gai doesn't summon him nearly enough."**

"I'll pass that message on to Gai." Naruto said, marveling at the surreal turn the conversation had taken.

" **Anyway."** Fukasaku stated. **"That's not why we're here. The Kyuubi. You ready to meditate?"**

"I am."

" **Then start meditating and I'll join you in your mindscape."**

Naruto half-closed his eyes and concentrated on controlling his breathing, inhaling through his nose and breathing out through his mouth. As he did so, the trees around them started to glow, shocking him out of his near-trance.

"What's with the trees… they're glowing… it's fading…"

" **They're meant to do that."** Fukasaku explained. **"It's how I'll be able to enter your mindscape. Now, try again."**

Naruto fully closed his eyes in order to avoid being distracted by the oddly-luminescent trees. Once again, he began his breathing exercises, then he moved on to controlling his heart rate and calming his thoughts…

" **Excellent. We're here."**

Naruto opened his eyes, then looked around in confusion.

" _This_ is my mindscape?"

" **Yes and no."** Fukasaku shrugged. **"It's the prison that holds the Kyuubi, but formed from your experiences."**

"It's a _sewer_." Naruto protested. "My mind is a _sewer_. If Ino or Kiba find out about this, I'll _never_ live it down!"

Fukasaku snorted with laughter, then sniffed several times.

" **I smell the fox. This way."**

Naruto followed Fukasaku as they splashed through the shallow water flowing from the direction that they were headed. Ahead of them, bars glinted in the darkness, bars that stretched from the ground to the ceiling. As they drew closer, it became apparent that the bars were actually a pair of gates with the hinges deeply embedded in the side of the tunnel while the gates were held closed by a slightly-tattered piece of paper with the kanji for _Seal_ inscribed on it.

"This… _this_ is the seal that dad used to trap the Kyuubi?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "And where _is_ the Kyuubi?"

" **SO, MY JAILER FINALLY DEIGNS TO MEET ME."** A deep voice rumbled and a pair of glowing red eyes opened slowly, their malevolent gaze fixed on Naruto.

" **Odd…"** Fukasaku muttered as he moved closer to the bars. **"I sense an… echo, a… trace… of a** _ **dojutsu**_ **… a** _ **genjutsu**_ **… control? In the past, but the echoes still remain…"**

" **WHAT ARE YOU BABBLING ABOUT, FROG?"** The deep voice growled and Naruto swallowed as he saw giant fangs glinting in the shadows.

" **I suppose that it's a mystery for another time."** Fukasaku allowed. **"Gamamaru said that you were less than you were, but would be whole once again in time."**

" **The Great Toad Sage said that?"**

Naruto blinked as the threatening voice suddenly changed to one that was less vengeful and more hopeful.

" **Your father's friend did indeed."** Fukasaku said and Naruto felt his mouth go dry as the Kyuubi appeared from the darkness, looming above them both.

" **Tell me more."**

.

* * *

.

" **Well,"** Fukasaku said as they opened their eyes and found themselves back in the glade. **"While that could have gone better, it could _very_ easily have gone worse."**

"Thanks for adjusting the seal like that." Naruto remarked as he stretched. "Being stuck in the dark like that isn't my idea of fun, I have no clue how the Kyuubi didn't go mad in there."

" **Probably slept a lot."** Fukasaku replied as he levered himself back onto his feet. **"Just remember,** _ **you**_ **control the link."**

 _For now._ The Kyuubi's voice seemed to echo.

"I'll have to go through all those damned exercises again to get used to the new flow." Naruto griped as he tried to form a _Rasengan_ , only for it to destabilize and evaporate. "Dammit, that'll take weeks at the very least!"

" **Then I'd advise you to get started."** Fukasaku said. **"For now, you can use the special portal to return to Konoha. I'll get Jiraiya and have him meet you there."**


	37. A Genin's Retraining

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

Naruto half-turned to look at the one who had asked the question.

"Hey, Hinata. It's… well, long story short, during my day with the Toads, they taught me how to speak to my tenant. Bad news, my chakra got a boost from it and as a result, my control's almost back to when we first met."

Hinata activated her _byakugan_ and winced slightly. "There's more red chakra in your system than before…"

"Yeah." Naruto sighed as he summoned several dozen clones who promptly started trying to water-walk and tree-walk. "I'm going to be spending the next week or two just doing chakra control exercises. This is going to be a pain, especially since I don't want to risk cloning you until I get my control back up."

"Risk?" Hinata asked, then her expression showed sudden understanding. "Your tenant's chakra. You don't know how it'll react with your control problems."

A loud _crack_ interrupted her and she stared at the toppling tree, then her gaze switched to the embarrassed-looking clone sitting at the base of the newly-formed stump.

"…you need help." She concluded. "I'll ask dad if I can teach you a couple of the clan's exercises. The more exercises you know, the faster you can get your control back."

.

"Jiraiya." Hiruzen said as his student lounged on the windowsill.

"Sensei." Jiraiya replied, rubbing his shoulder and earning a quizzical eyebrow. "Training with Pa and Ma toad to improve my _Senjutsu_. On the plus side, I only need one of them in order to go Sage in battle and my nose doesn't change as much. Heck, I can use Sage Mode independently but only for about three minutes at the moment. Negative side, I still ache all over… damned stick…"

"Shame the Monkeys don't have Sages, not since Son Wu vanished." Hiruzen mused. "How soon before you're back to full ability?"

"Well before the finals, if that's what you're asking." Jiraiya replied. "I won't really be able to teach Naruto for a while, kid needs to get his chakra control back after learning how to talk to the fox…"

"WHAT?!"

"Ah… yeah. I forgot to mention." Jiraiya said with an embarrassed shrug. "Pa Toad took him to… _somewhere_ and when they came back, he could talk to his tenant and was getting chakra from it."

"And you didn't mention this before… because?" Hiruzen grumped, slowly lowering himself back down into his seat.

Jiraiya shrugged again. "Well, it's not like he's using the _pure_ chakra of the fox, it's still mixing into his own system via the Seal, hence his need to regain his chakra control."

Hiruzen gave his student a long glare, then sighed.

"It's always something new with him, isn't it?"

.

* * *

.

Shikamaru paused, ignoring the frantic yowls of the demonic feline caught in his shadow. The sight that had caught his attention was a veritable sea of orange flowing around and up various trees…  
…and either getting blasted off with explosions of chakra or slipping down as if the tree was suddenly made of ice.

"Got it!" Choji declared and Shikamaru released his shadow-hold, his attention still on the teeming Narutos. Walking over, he tapped the closest one on the shoulder.

"Are you the original, or is he here?"

"No." The clone replied. "Boss went off to see Hiashi about something to do with regaining our chakra control. Dammit, one boost and we're back at square one…"

Shikamaru looked round at the training clones.

"I did some research into how _Kage Bunshin_ work." He commented. "Since Naruto uses so many of you clones in our exercises, I decided that I needed to learn their strengths and weaknesses. While reading the scroll under my father's gaze, I came across an interesting note about how the memory return phenomenon works and I came up with a possible way of magnifying its effects…"

.

Naruto knelt in the Hyuuga Main Branch Dojo as Hiashi stood in front of him. Beside him, Hinata sat calmly, her presence reassuring even though she was remaining silent.

"So." Hiashi stated. "As Hinata has explained, you have recently undergone a change in your chakra, thus requiring you to re-learn your chakra control."

"Correct, Hiashi-Dono." Naruto confirmed.

"And my daughter suggested that learning some of the Hyuuga clan's secret techniques?"

"Hinata-hime said that should you allow me to learn the chakra-control exercises that the Hyuuga clan uses, my chakra control will return to its previous level a great deal sooner than I would be able to achieve otherwise." Naruto confirmed. "However, any such decision must be taken by you. Should you choose to allow me to learn, I will willingly take an oath to never teach another the secret techniques in question."

Hiashi nodded slowly.

"Actually, as soon as Hinata explained the problem to me, I decided that I would aid you myself in the times when I am not pursuing my other project."

Naruto stared at Hiashi in shock while Hinata twitched slightly. Hiashi's lips twitched slightly in amusement, then he turned and walked to the front of the Dojo. Picking up what looked like a bundle of metal sticks, tubes and plates, he returned to the middle of the dojo and began setting it up, aided by Hinata. Soon, a spindly-looking table was standing in the middle of the dojo.

"What… is it?" Naruto asked, joining Hinata and looking at the device in confusion.

"As you know, the _Jyuuken_ , our fighting style, relies on highly focused chakra strikes. In order to achieve this, our clan had to learn how to expel chakra and focus it as precisely as possible. To that end, we developed a series of… tools… to aid us. This is the first, designed to aid in teaching how to expel precise amounts of chakra. Daughter?"

Hinata placed her hands on two marked points and activated her _byakugan_ , then the innermost rod rose from the tube that was holding it, halting half-way up. A few seconds later, the six rods surrounding it rose to half of the height of the first rod, then the outermost ring rose to half the height of the previous ring, then all of the rods sank back down.

"Your chakra capacity has indeed increased, daughter." Hiashi noted approvingly as Hinata stepped back, then he placed his hands on the marked points.

Naruto watched as the center rod rose almost to its full height with the surrounding rods rising and falling in a near-hypnotic fashion before they retracted once more.

"Power raises the rods, control over the amount of power lets you move them. As you saw, with enough practice and discipline, the rods can be controlled individually. Have a try. Just channel a small amount of chakra to start with."

Naruto stepped up and slowly placed his hands on the indentations. Taking a calming breath, he reached inside for the smallest amount of chakra he could and pushed it into the device, only for the flow of chakra to suddenly spike.

_Fwoosh! Twoiyoioiyoioioioing…_

"Ah… oops?"

Hinata and Hiashi both stared at the ceiling, where the central rod had embedded itself for half of its length in the central beam.

"Ahahahahahaaa… sorry?"

"You really _do_ have a problem with your chakra control, don't you?" Hiashi finally managed.

"Perhaps we should try this in the old gazebo?" Hinata suggested.

"Perhaps we should." Hiashi agreed. "Perhaps we should."

.

* * *

.

"Well, that was… interesting." Hinata giggled as she and Naruto walked down the narrow path.

"At least your father was understanding." Naruto sighed. "Although if I keep it up, it's going to cost me a great deal to keep repairing the gazebos… still cheaper than paying to rebuild the Dojo, though."

Hinata's giggles turned into musical laughter and Naruto smiled at her while he wrapped an arm around her shoulders in order to prevent her stumbling.

"Once I get my control back enough to do the _Hiraishin_ again, I'll bring Tazuna over and pay him to build a new gazebo for your clan." Naruto said as Hinata managed to bring herself under control again.

"I'm sure you'll do better tomorrow." Hinata smiled.

"I hope so." Naruto sighed.

.

"What the…?"

Hiashi stopped as he heard the cut-off exclamation, then turned round and hurried to where the speaker was stood, staring upwards in shock.

"Tou-san."

"Hiashi." The elder replied almost absently. "What… happened? I do not recall those holes being there before…"

Hiashi looked up at the multiple holes that marked the support beams or actually penetrated through the wooden roofing.

"The result of a chakra-control exercise." He said in explanation. "However, there are fewer holes than I expected. His control must have improved significantly."

"What? What sort of exercise causes… _this_?"

Hiashi motioned to the rod-and-tube device stood in the corner of the gazebo and the elder stared at it disbelievingly.

"…who?"

.

* * *

.

"Impressive." Hiashi allowed as he watched the rods slowly rise and fall. "Less than a week to attain this level of control…"

"Using dozens of clones to water- and tree-walk every moment of the day helped." Naruto admitted. "Shikamaru's concept of staggered dispelling made all the difference."

Hiashi raised a quizzical eyebrow and Hinata quickly explained.

"If a clone is dispelled, Naruto gets its memories, but if a clone dispels _itself_ , its memories are received by all of the other clones as well. Shikamaru worked it out a while back during one of Naruto's missions to help train Team Ten and when he found out that Naruto was having trouble with his chakra control, he exchanged his knowledge for a couple of favors to be held until he claims them."

"I had my clones practicing the _rasengan_ again." Naruto added. "At first, they kept destabilizing, but I can do it again now. As soon as I manage a couple of test _Hiraishin_ jumps, I'll be ready to do that as well."

"Your chakra has smoothed out." Hinata noted, deactivating her _byakugan_. "There aren't any red blobs in it any more."

"True, although the actual shade of color has changed slightly." Hiashi agreed, deactivating his own _byakugan_ as he spoke.

"Maybe we can start using clones again." Hinata suggested hopefully. "By training with them, I was finally getting better in _Jyuuken_ …"

"That reminds me." Hiashi said. "I took the liberty of speaking to Maito Gai after Neji mentioned that Gai had corrected one of his stances recently. He has seen you practice and he says that the standard _Jyuuken_ is not optimal for you, given how you move. I have tasked one of my aides with searching the archive for the variant that your mother used. The version known as… _Juho_."

Hiashi stopped speaking as Hinata threw herself at him, hugging him tightly before suddenly releasing him and stepping back, blushing furiously.

"My apologies, Hiashi-sama." Naruto said quickly, earning a confused stare from the Hyuuga clan head. "The clone-practice technique has, amongst its other effects, a tendency to cause Hinata and myself to occasionally respond as the other would... That was _my_ standard happy-hug. It's a side-effect that we hadn't really considered a problem… until now."

"It was… unexpected." Hiashi agreed. "But I feel no need to take issue with it."

Hinata sagged in relief.

.

* * *

.

"Nice." Jiraiya said as he examined the swirling sphere of chakra in Naruto's hand. "I'd say you'd managed to get your chakra control back to where it should be."

"I've got my _hiraishin_ working again." Naruto agreed. "Just in time, too. I've got a _load_ of messenger missions waiting for me."

"Happens when you're faster than even the best messenger birds." Jiraiya chuckled. "Fortunately, the three who taught you have been picking up some of the slack."

"You know," Naruto mused, "If I give Hinata a couple of clones to work with, she could help out as well…"

"And what happens if one of the clones is popped?" Jiraiya countered. "Until she has enough chakra to create two clones on her own _and_ be able to make a jump, she'd be technically at risk every time she did one of the relay missions."

"I guess you're right." Naruto sighed. "It's just…"

"I know, kid." Jiraiya agreed softly. "You want everyone else to know just how awesome she really is and how lucky you are that she wants you."

Naruto gave the older man a questioning look and the Toad Sage gave a lop-sided smile in return.

"You're not the first person to fall hopelessly in love, you know. Let me tell you of my old team-mate Tsunade. I had a crush on her for _years_ , but when she became engaged, I swore that I wouldn't do a thing that could stop her being happy…"


	38. Research of A Genin

"Hey, sis! Wake up!"

Hinata was jolted out of her pleasant dreams in which she was snuggled up to Naruto in the middle of a field of flowers, awakened by the impact of her sister landing on her bed.

"…Hanabi? What are you…?"

"Hinata, you may wish to get up." Hiashi said from the doorway. "Naruto has inquired as to whether you will be able to aid him in a mission today."

"I… think so." Hinata yawned, fighting to shake off the last vestiges of sleep. "When does Naruto-kun want me?"

"All the time." Hanabi sighed. "What? Have you watched him whenever he has to say goodbye? It's like watching a kicked puppy."

Both Hiashi and Hinata stared at Hanabi, who blushed slightly under their combined attention.

"I was talking to Kiba…" She muttered. "His dog's really cute… he loves to have his belly rubbed and it's really soft… I mean _Akamaru_ , not Kiba! _Akamaru_ loves to have his belly rubbed…"

Hinata started giggling as her sister tried to justify herself and Hanabi stopped talking, choosing instead to stamp her foot and glare at her older sibling.

"Stop laughing at me!"

.

* * *

.

"Naruto!"

"Hinata!" Naruto grinned back. "Glad you could make it. I have a mission to Wave today and I wondered if you'd like to join in. You know, get another C-rank on your record?"

Hinata smiled. "That would be nice. I'm not studying under Ebisu-sensei today and my training with my normal team isn't until tomorrow, then I'm cheering for Kiba and Shino on the day after. What's the mission?"

"Bringing Tazuna's family over." Naruto replied. "By the way, how's everyone enjoying the new Gazebo?"

"It's become _the_ place to find the Elders."Hinata giggled. "Tazuna-san and his men did a very good job with it."

"We did a _super_ job." Tazuna's voice interjected and Hinata turned to face the new arrival.

"You did indeed, Tazuna-sama." She said with a bow and the old man laughed.

"Hinata-san. Naruto."

Nruto nodded back at the builder, then summoned a clone. "Alright. Hinata, Tsunami and Inari should be packed by now, so we simply _jump_ over there, then we bring them back."

"I'm ready." Hinata stated as she reached out to take the hands of Naruto and his clone.

Tazuna watched them vanish, then leaned back against the tree to wait.

"How long will they be?"

"Aiyaiyai!" Tazuna yelped, clutching at his chest. "Dammit! I'm an old man! You trying to give me a heart attack?"

"My apologies." Inoichi replied contritely as he stepped out from behind the tree. "My wife sent me to make sure that your daughter and grandson didn't get lost."

Tazuna nodded, still breathing deeply as he recovered from the shock. "Right… okay. Just… please don't _do_ that again."

"I'm a shinobi." Inoichi chuckled. "I can't help it."

"Ruddy shinobi." Tazuna grumbled and Inoichi's chuckles intensified, earning an irritated glare. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, you're not the one on the verge of heart failure."

Inoichi opened his mouth to answer when a double flash of light marked Naruto and Hinata's return, along with four clones and two very familiar people.

"Hey, gramps!" Inari shouted, ducking under Naruto's arm as he dashed across. "Hey, Uncle Inoichi! I managed to do the leaf exercise for _five_ minutes!"

"Well done." Inoichi said with a smile. "You are making very good progress."

Inari grinned even as his mother joined him.

"Hello, Inoichi-san." She smiled. "Thank you for offering to house us for the finals."

"Ayaka would have it no other way." Inoichi shrugged, his eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Where's Ino-neesan?" Inari asked curiously. "I though she'd be here to say hello?"

"Training with her team." Inoichi replied. "But she should be finished before tea, so you can surprise her then."

"Cool." Inari laughed.

"Tazuna, Inoichi, if you will sign?" Naruto interjected as he extended a clipboard and Inoichi nodded.

"Of course. Pay attention, Inari, this is one of the differences between an _elite_ genin like Hinata or Ino and an _independent_ genin like Naruto. Naruto needs to get his customers to sign directly so that he can get paid whereas those on a team can leave it to their Jonin-Sensei while learning other stuff."

"In other words, in order to learn enough to get promoted fast and high, being on a team really helps." Naruto supplied. "I lucked out by finding people willing to teach me for very little money, or even free, but that rarely happens for independent genin, we generally have to rely on scroll-learning or trying to teach ourselves since hiring Chunin or Jonin to teach us can be very expensive. That's why so few of us ever get good enough to be promoted."

Inari frowned as he considered what Naruto had said.

"That doesn't seem fair…"

"But any Chunin or Jonin who _started_ as an independent genin is generally considered to be better, since they didn't get the short-cuts that being on a team provides." Inoichi said as he handed the clipboard to Tazuna for him to sign. "In addition, should a team lose a member, the replacement is usually drawn from the ranks of the independent genin in order to ensure that the newcomer is at least trained in the basics rather than being simply fresh-from-the-Academy Kunai fodder. Heh, quite often, the newcomer is actually _better_ trained in the basics than the team simply because they have so much more practice using them in actual missions."

"Coo-ooool..." Inari breathed. "Hey, where'd they go?"

"Ninja." Tazuna sighed, glancing at his now-empty hand. "They can't help it."

"Ruddy ninja." Inoichi agreed, earning a _look_ from Tazuna.

.

"That was fun." Hinata smiled as she followed Naruto in sneaking away.

"Just got to cash this in, then is there anything that you want to do with me?" Naruto asked even as he sealed the clip-board into a storage seal on his belt.

Fortunately for Hinata, Naruto was concentrating on getting the clip-board into the correct seal, so he missed Hinata's brief, albeit rather intense blush.

Hinata managed to re-focus as Naruto finished his task.

"Well, perhaps we could try to go through your father's scroll again" She suggested. "Maybe we can work out exactly what we're missing when it comes to trying to make your father's technique work properly?"

"Good idea." Naruto agreed as he summoned a clone which saluted and dispelled. "Okay, my clones'll have things prepared for us by the time we get there."

"Sounds good to me." Hinata agreed, using Naruto's distraction to wrap his arm around her and lean her head on his shoulder. Naruto blinked for a moment, then tilted his head slightly so that his cheek was pressed against the crown of her head.

"Hey, lovebirds!" A voice called and both genin looked round to see Team Seven's genin smirking at them while from behind the trio Kakashi gave them an eye-smile.

"Hi…" Naruto managed. "Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, but…shouldn't two of you be… well… training? The final takes place the day after tomorrow…"

"Well, we make sure to have at least one team training session a week." Kakashi shrugged. "I like to keep track of how my cute little genin are doing."

Naruto managed not to smile at Kakashi's description, although the look of annoyance on Sasuke's face and the way Sakura rolled her eyes made it harder.

"Are you getting a mission?" Sakura asked and Hinata shook her head.

"Naruto-kun and I have just done one."

"D-ranks." Tobio grumped, rolling his eyes. "Oi."

"Well, if we don't see you before the finals, good luck." Naruto said as a clone formed behind him. "Hinata?"

"Good luck." Hinata called as she took Naruto's hand as well as the hand offered to her by Naruto's clone, then they _moved_ , the world blinking round them and re-forming into Naruto's living area.

"Lunch is almost ready!" Called the clone in behind the kitchen counter.

"You lay the table and I'll get the scroll for after?" Naruto suggested and Hinata nodded as she walked round the end of the counter to open the cutlery drawer.

.

* * *

.

"What does _this_ part mean?" Hinata asked as she pointed at the scroll spread on the dining table.

"Hm? Oh, that's one of the chakra-pulse dissipators for the location tags." Naruto said. "The others are here, here, here, here, here, here and _here_."

"They all look different." Hinata noted and Naruto nodded.

"As you can see, this one's… _raiton_ , judging by symbol in the middle, the one you pointed to is _suiton_ , this one's… yin? Huh. Didn't realize Yin was an element…"

"I wonder what elements your father used?" Hinata asked.

"He started as a wind-type, but branched out into using Fire and Lightning by the time he made chunin." Jiraiya replied from where he was lounging on the couch, causing both genin to jolt in shock.

"Dammit, Pervy Sage!" Naruto half-shouted. "Don't _do_ that to us!"

Jiraiya chuckled as he rose from the sofa and strolled over to them. "Sorry, but you needed to learn never to get so absorbed in your work that you forget to keep a lookout. If it helps, I was only there for a few seconds before I replied to your query. Besides, your dad gave me permission to pop in whenever I wanted."

"From now on, please knock." Hinata requested and Jiraiya nodded.

"Okay. Anything to avoid having that _Kawaii no Jutsu_ directed at me again." He agreed and Hinata blushed slightly. "So, let me have a look to refresh my memory…"

The genin moved to let Jiraiya examine the scroll, then he nodded.

"Yep, I thought so."

"Thought what?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Well, you know I'm a Seal Master, right?" Jiraiya askedand both genin nodded. "All I really did was start Minato off, then he blazed his own trail, although Kushina helped him with some of it. He managed to fuse the Uzumaki and the Konoha sealing styles together, creating something that even _I_ had difficulty with. This? This was his masterwork. I only understand some of it, things like this bit still flummox me."

"That's a modified summoning seal with the dimensional axis replaced with a variable-vector linear translocation." Naruto said, then he looked up to meet Jiraiya's shocked gaze. "What? I've studied _really_ hard to stop sounding like the idiot I was before Hinata started teaching m…mmmmmph?"

Jiraiya barely managed not to snigger as Hinata grabbed Naruto and gave him a long kiss.

"I… wow… erm… what was…?"

"I warned you about calling yourself an idiot." Hinata smiled.

"Wow…"Naruto breathed. "I _have_ to thank Kiba."

"What?" Jiraiya asked in confusion.

.

Kiba looked around curiously.

"What is it?" Tsume asked and Kiba shrugged.

"Not sure. I just felt… amused satisfaction?"

Tsume looked at her son, then shrugged. "They're your emotions, not mine. Now, show me the _Gatsuga_ again, you need to get the revolutions higher."

.

"Wow…" Naruto said again. "That was… I felt like I was just floating… like light… hey! That's it! Thanks, Hinata, I get it now!"

"And for those of us who _weren't_ on the receiving end of a kiss by the Hyuuga Princess?" Jiraiya prompted, only for Naruto to ignore him as he grabbed a pen and started scribbling notes.

"Is it this annoying when _I_ do that?" Jiraiya asked Hinata, motioning to where Naruto had flipped over one page and was writing even more notes.

"Yep." Hinata chirped as she moved closer to her fiancee.

.

* * *

.

"What caused this?" Hiruzen asked, looking at the corpse of one of Konoha's greatest Kenjutsu specialists.

"From the sharpness of the cut, we believe it to have been a Wind Blade." The medical technician reported. "From the marks on his sword, he tried to fight, but his blade got caught in some sort of armor."

Hiruzen inspected the proffered blade, noting the location of the scuffing.

"He was using the _Dance of the Crescent Moon_." He finally deduced. "That's the only attack that would leave marks at that particular point of the blade and at that angle. He was trying for a decapitation strike… and it was blocked. For him to have been struck down in turn… probably Orochimaru. But who was he disguised as this time? I want ANBU to interview all the Jonin and hurry. The Kazekage is arriving tomorrow and if we can find Orochimaru before then…"

Several blurs marked the departure of ANBU operatives, heading to where the non-Konoha Jonin were staying while other Shinobi raced to the private homes of Konoha's team leaders and specialists.

.

Baki slumped in relief after the ANBU vanished out of the window.

Konoha thought that the swordsman had been killed by the Snake Sannin.

Although considering that Suna had allied itself with him for the upcoming invasion, the conclusion actually wasn't all that far from the truth…


	39. A Genin Guard

"Lord Hokage." Naruto said, standing at attention.

"You are asking a _genin_ to be your guard for today?" The veiled man asked curiously and Hiruzen smirked.

"I am. Naruto is one of the most skilled genin of his generation, having him as one of my guards will help to overcome any setbacks caused by him not being on a team."

"Why isn't he on a team?" The guest asked. "My apologies, it probably is none of my business, but I admit to curiosity."

"Naruto chose a different path." Hiruzen smiled. "One that uniquely suited his talents. And he will use one of those to help us make an entrance. Naruto, there's a tag in the Hokage Box of the Stadium."

Naruto closed his eyes and let his senses spread out, using his experience to locate all of the tags relative to himself. One of them was in a different place to where it had been and he nodded as he fixed its location in his mind.

"Got it."

"Then leave enough clones to transport the Kazekage, his two guards, myself and one guard outside the office and rejoin us to Jump us to the box when I give the signal."

Naruto bowed and backed out of the office as the Kazekage turned to look at Hiruzen.

"So, what path did…"

The question was cut off by the closing door and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief before creating a score of clones.

"You know what to do." He said, then he pointed at one of them. "You're on messenger duty. Dispel once you get the orders."

"You got it, boss." The clone said, then he smiled. "Going to see Hinata-Hime?"

"Not today." Naruto sighed. "She's going with her family and… why am I telling you this? You should know it too!"

The clone smirked and Naruto shook his head.

"I need some Ramen. I wonder who the other guard is going to be?"

.

"Father." Asuma bowed and the Kazekage glanced at Hiruzen.

"My intelligence may be wrong, but does your son not have his own team to lead?"

Hiruzen nodded for Asuma to respond.

"My students will be watching the matches with their clans and, in the Yamanaka clan's case at least, their guests. As a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, I have experience in the role my father has asked me to assume for the Finals. May I ask who the other guard will be?"

"Naruto." Hiruzen smirked and Asuma blinked in thought before smiling.

"Very clever, father, and it certainly explains the blond mob in the outer office."

"I thought so." Hiruzen smirked. "And yes, it certainly does."

.

Naruto paused in the middle of eating a bowl of ramen and looked round suspiciously.

"Something wrong with the ramen?" Teuchi asked from behind the counter and Naruto turned his attention back to the steaming bowl of noodley goodness on the counter in front of him.

"The ramen's great, Teuchi-jiji."Naruto grinned, then he looked round again. "It just felt like someone was talking about me…"

"You're famous now." Teuchi grinned. "Of _course_ they'd talk about you."

.

"…and I think it's time." Hiruzen commented. "Asuma, if you'll pass the word?"

Asuma nodded and stepped to the office door. Opening it, he leaned through for a moment, then stepped back with a slight smile as a flash of light leaked through. A veritable horde of Naruto's clones followed him in as Hiruzen moved to the middle of the office, the Kazekage and his guards following his example.

"We're ready, sir." Naruto said from his position behind and to the right of Hiruzen even as the clones finished taking up their positions.

"Then, do it." Hiruzen commanded and the office was briefly illuminated by a golden flash.

.

"Wow." Inari whispered as he looked around the large stadium. "This place is… _huge_!"

"Yep." Ino sighed, looking at the large arena floor.

"Hey, you'll get to fight there next time." Inari said reassuringly, earning a smile from Ino.

"This could be troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as he settled down in front of them and accepted a bag of crisps from Choji. "Nine matches to watch and the fifth… I heard about what Gaara did… going up against a Jinchuuriki… even after all the research I've done, the only way I'd be willing to go up against a Jinchuuriki is if I've learned _fuuinjutsu_ to the level of Jiraiya or the Yondaime."

"You're getting very good with the sealing scrolls and your shadow-explosion is pretty cool... when you can get it to work, that is." Choji commented before taking another bite out of his crisp and Ino frowned.

"Shika?"

"My son is learning to combine _fuuinjutsu_ with our shadow manipulation." Shikaku said from nearby. "Although he has only been studying since the second stage, he has made quite a bit of progress. At long last, we have enough sealing scrolls to meet our needs without having to purchase them."

"It currently takes about an hour do do a scroll." Shikamaru shrugged. "But in exchange, my clan's arranged _fuuinjutsu_ lessons to help me get better."

Choji gave his friend a long look, then he sighed.

"Looks like I need to learn something new if I'm to keep up with you. Just my clan techniques won't really cut it, will they?"

"They worked for me." Chouza shrugged, then he glanced at his son. "But as the new generation Ino-Shika-Cho, you do need _something_ to help you differentiate yourself from… what was that?"

A golden flash of light from the Kage box caused everyone to look at where the Hokage and the Kazekage had appeared.

.

"I am just so _pumped_!" Kiba exulted as he stood at the edge of the contestants platform, one hand gripping the railing as he looked at the crowd. "Yeah! All these people here to see us prove we're worthy of being Chunin!"

"Calm down." Sasuke commanded as he stepped up and glanced around. "You're not the only one here to prove themself."

From the corner of the box, Tsuchi Kin briefly sneered at them, then looked at the audience, a slight frown on her face.

"Where are they?" She whispered and Temari glanced over.

"Who?"

"My team." Kin snapped. "My idiot team-mates aren't here. They should be over there, but there's no sign of them."

"Probably jealous." Temari shrugged as she returned to polishing her fan. "Kankuro's been grousing over having to forfeit rather than go up against an Aburame for the last month. He even considered sitting it in a sulk out but Baki-Sensei dragged him along."

"Must be nice to have team-mates you can trust." Kin sighed, earning an odd look from Temari.

"He's my brother. As is Gaara… unfortunately…"

Kin glanced across at the red-haired boy in the opposite corner and shuddered.

"I saw what he did in the preliminaries." She half-whispered. "Is he normally like that?"

"Unfortunat… what the?"

Temari's reply was cut short by a flash of light in the Kage Booth, a flash that announced the arrival of the two Kages and their guards.

.

"Neji's going to win." Hanabi declared as she accepted a drink from her older sister.

"I don't know." Hinata mused, earning a curious look from both her father and sister. "His first match is against an _ice_ user and our style relies on having a _solid_ footing…"

"A valid point." Hiashi agreed, causing his youngest daughter to stare at him disbelievingly. "While the Jyuuken is indeed virtually unbeatable in normal circumstances, those who choose to use different techniques that do not allow us to engage in taijutsu may claim victory."

As Hanabi frowned, Hinata fought down the urge to snicker. "You tried out one of Naruto-kun's trap courses, didn't you?"

"I was curious as to why Neji was grumbling and reading that book by Uchiha Madara." Hiashi admitted with a slight wince as he remembered the events in question. "Fortunately, he went easy on me."

"So _that's_ why you started insisting on everyone learning at least the basics of traps." Hinata exclaimed in realization, then she smiled. "You know, if Naruto's not around, Ino's turning into quite a trap-mistress."

Hiashi glanced at the section reserved for the Nara, Akamichi and Yamanaka clans (plus their guests), then his attention was caught by the flash of light from the previously-empty Kage box.

.

"Still can't believe that I was meant to go up against an _Aburame_!" Kankuro groused, then he flinched as Baki slapped the package on his back.

"You've had a month to get over it." Baki snapped. "Now, stop whinging and remember why we're here."

"Yeah, yeah." Kankuro grumbled. "I'm ready."

"Good." Baki growled, then he turned his attention to the distant platform where the genin competitors were standing.

"The hell?" Kankuro gasped and Baki followed his gaze to the Kage's box. "Where did _they_ come from?"

.

"I thought that you would show up late, my eternal rival." Gai noted as Kakashi sat down near him.

"Meh, maybe in another life where I _wasn't_ forced to confront what I had become." Kakashi admitted. "As much as I hate to admit it, having Naruto walk from my test was probably the best thing that could have happened to me."

"You have regained quite a bit of your youthfulness." Gai admitted. "And I see that you have taken a page from _my_ training techniques."

"What do you mean, Gai-Sensei?" Rock Lee asked curiously, leaning forwards to look around at the white-haired Jonin.

"I mean that Sasuke is wearing weights to increase his speed." Gai explained. "I do not believe that they are anywhere near your youthful aids, but he is wearing them on his wrists and ankles."

"Looks like the Hokage's arrived." Kakashi interjected.

"Go, gramps!" Konohamaru shouted from where he was sat beside Lee and Kakashi stared in horror at the sight of the Hokage's grandson and his two friends clad in green unitards with orange legwarmers.

.

"That was certainly… unusual. And what happened to all the clones?" The Kazekage commented as he made his way to the padded seat set up for him.

"You get used to it." Hiruzen replied as he lowered himself into his own chair. "As for the clones, the way the _Hiraishin_ works means that they dispel as the jump is completed. Using clones to move someone via _Hiraishin_ imposes a chakra cost of three _Kage Bunshin_ for each person moved."

"Ah, so not something that can be used to transport any significant numbers into battle."

"A single Shinobi can be significant in the right circumstances." Hiruzen countered. "And _two_ of them, if unexpected, can easily turn the tide of a confrontation."

"I had heard that you and another had driven off the nukenin Orochimaru." The Kazekage acknowledged and behind them, Naruto briefly smirked before a glance from Asuma quelled him.

.

"Isn't that your Sensei in the Kage Box?" Inari asked curiously and Ino nodded.

"Yep. You remember that I told you he's the Hokage's son?"

At Inari's nod, Ino continued her explanation. "Asuma-Sensei explained that since we were going to sit with our clans for this, he was doing something similar, going with his father. His nephew, Konohamaru, wanted to go with his role-model, Rock Lee. That's them over there, Lee, his Sensei Gai, Konohamaru and his two friends. The line of… _unfashionable_ green."

Inari fought down an incredulous laugh as he spotted the five green-spandex-clad people.

.

"Then it is time to begin." Hiruzen said as he rose from his seat. The crowd went almost silent as he stepped forwards to the edge of the box, where the inlaid seals would pick up and amplify his voice. A glance across the arena showed that the contestants had left the platform and were filing out into the middle of the arena, under the instruction of Shiranui Genma, the Proctor for the fights who had been appointed after Hayate's death.

Once the genin were in a line, Hiruzen began speaking.

"Honored guests, Fellow shinobi, ladies, gentlemen… did I miss anyone out?"

A sussuration of chuckles sounded and Hiruzen waited for silence to fall once more before continuing.

"You see before you ten genin who have made their way through tests, competitions and obstacles that have stopped almost two hundred others in their tracks. These ten are the ones who made it to this stage, who proved their right to try for promotion.

"Here today, before us all, they will show us why they should be promoted. They will demonstrate their skills and abilities. They will each represent their village as well as they can, but the fact that they are here now is already proof that they are the best!"

A roar of cheering erupted from the stands as several of the genin in the arena waved at the crowds and Hiruzen stood back, nodding to his son to take over. Asuma stepped forwards, glancing at the line, then he spoke.

"From left to right we have Gaara of the Desert! Temari of Suna! Tsuchi Kin of Oto! Haruno Sakura of Konoha! Uchiha Sasuke of Konoha! Yuki Haku of Mizu! Higarushi Tenten of Konoha! Inuzuka Kiba of Konoha! Aburame Shino of Konoha! And Hyuuga Neji of Konoha!"

The introductions done, Asuma stepped back and Hiruzen stepped forwards once more.

"Let the finals… begin!"


	40. The Finals Commence

Hiruzen stepped forwards to the edge of the box and looked out at the expectant crowd.

"Let the finals… begin!"

"Dramatic much?" Asuma whispered, modulating his voice low enough that only Hiruzen could hear it. Naruto choked down a chuckle and Asuma gave him a curious look.

"Kiba taught me how to enhance my hearing." Naruto whispered. "He traded it for extra meat."

"Ah."

.

"Listen up, my name is Shiranui Genma and I am the proctor for the final stage." The man standing in front of the genin stated. "This means that you will obey my orders. If I tell you to fight, you will fight. If I tell you to stop, you will. Should you disobey, I am permitted to use anything up to and including lethal force to stop you. I don't want to do that, because of the paperwork it causes, so don't force me to."

His glare traveled long the line of genin, then he held up a piece of paper.

"The first match will be between Higarushi Tenten and Uchiha Sasuke. The rest of you, return to the waiting area."

Sakura paused long enough to wish Sasuke "Good luck," as she followed the others to the staircase leading up to where they would wait for their own matches. Sasuke nodded at her, then turned his attention to Tenten while running through a couple of stretches, using his movements to covertly run through a set of five seals. A slight upwards twitch at the corner of Genma's mouth showed that he had caught the preparation and approved.

"Take your positions."

Sasuke stepped backwards, opening the range and Tenten smirked as her hands suddenly filled with kunai. Genma glanced at the shining blades and sidled backwards.

"Begin!"

Tenten's hands blurred and the kunai slammed into Sasuke's thighs and shoulders, throwing him backwards in a spray of blood. The Uchiha hit the ground…

…and a brief cloud of chakra smoke covered him before dissipating to reveal the kunai jammed into a log.

.

"Fast!" The Kazekage whispered, leaning forwards. "No hand-seals?"

"He did them during the warm-up." Hiruzen chuckled. "It would seem he learned about preparation from that young girl from Oto and what she did in the preliminaries."

.

Tenten spun to face the small copse of trees on one side of the arena and growled.

"You can't hide forever!"

A glint was her only warning but it was enough to let her launch a dozen shuriken which collided with the ones arcing towards her, knocking them down so that they clattered harmlessly on the ground. A fireball was next, launched by a figure that apeared briefly on the left of the trees and Tenten simply dashed to her right, letting the ball of fire race harmlessly past her even as she fired a salvo of kunai back.

.

"Interesting." Gai mused. "Although trying to take Tenten on in a shurikenjutsu duel is usually a losing proposition, Sasuke is using the trees as a shield, reducing his need to defend himself and thus letting him concentrate on offense."

"But Tenten-chan retains mobility." Lee added. "Truly, this is a fascinating battle!"

.

Tenten blinked as a score of Kunai suddenly arced up out of the trees and descended towards her, kunai that suddenly multiplied almost a hundred-fold, casting a shadow as they descended.

"Your Kunai may block out the sun," She shouted as she unsealed a seven-foot wide Fuma Shuriken which she whirled rapidly above her head, "But I can still fight in the shade!"

The falling Kunai met the whirling Shuriken and were sent flying away from the Kunoichi, many of them dispelling as they arced away or hit the ground. Slowing the spin of the shuriken, Tenten paused while holding it to one side, eyes measuring the distance and bearing to the launch point of the Kunai barrage, then she spun it with both hands before launching it at the trees. Even as the flying blade howled towards its target, a second wave of Kunai was launched, once again multiplying in the air.

"Shit!" Tenten cursed as she sprinted sideways to get out of the area targeted by the Kunai.

.

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed as he hurled himself into a small depression in the ground, allowing the giant shuriken to pass harmlessly a mere hand-span above him, then he rolled sideways to avoid the toppling tree that threatened to crush him. Leaping to his feet, his eyes widened and he dived behind a fallen tree just in time to avoid the veritable horizontal hail of kunai that Tenten had launched back at him.

.

"There you are!" Tenten growled as she unsealed another dozen kunai, this time with tags on them. Pausing just long enough to activate the tags, she spun and hurled them into a trajectory that would cause them to hit around the area where she had spotted Sasuke sheltering.

.

"Explosive tags!" Sasuke yelped, his red eyes letting him see every detail of the smoking papers attached to the Kunai. "I hope that this works!"

.

The wave of explosions sent branches and splinters flying as Tenten prepared a second salvo. As the debris crashed to the ground, Tenten squinted to see through the smoke. A glint caught her eye and she frowned as she realized that she was looking at a log deeply impaled with Kunai…

"Gotcha!"

Tenten froze as a sharp blade came to rest on her jugular. Fighting the urge to swallow, she opened her hands and let the kunais drop to the ground to mark her surrender.

"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke." Genma announced as the audience broke out in cheers and applause.

.

"Interesting tactic." The Kazekage mused. "Using the log that he had switched with at the start to get behind her in order to claim victory."

Naruto smirked in recognition of the technique Sasuke had used.

.

"Dammit." Tenten sighed as Sasuke removed the Kunai from her throat. "That was sneaky. And how did you launch all those Kunai at me?"

Sasuke nodded to the fallen trees and the severely damaged Kunai Launcher poking up from a tangle of branches. "I had another three which I unsealed but didn't have a chance to actually set up. I _had_ intended to use them on timers to make you think I was still there while I did the switch and crept up behind you, but that huge blade of yours forced me to change my plan."

Tenten nodded, then paused. "Weren't you wearing wristbands when we started?"

"My weights are in there somewhere." Sasuke sighed, pointing at the tangle of scorched branches. "I may have to hire Naruto and his clones to help me get them back. They have… sentimental value."

Tenten looked round at the cheering crowds and sighed. "Dammit. I thought I had you, you know."

"For a moment, I thought you did as well." Sasuke admitted ruefully as he started towards the stairway.

"Who came up with that technique, anyway?" Tenten asked.

"Naruto." Sasuke shrugged. "He pulled it on Shikamaru's team once and Shika's been trying to create a counter ever since."

The pair moved aside to let Kiba and Akamaru run past, then Sasuke reached out to stop Sakura.

"You can beat him." He said quietly. "If you can't trust _yourself_ on that, trust _me_."

"Thanks, Sasuke." Sakura smiled as he released her shoulder to allow her to continue towards the arena floor. Sasuke watched her vanish round the corner, then turned back to find Tenten giving him a considering look.

"What?"

.

Buoyed by the words of encouragement from Sasuke, Sakura almost floated across the arena floor, coming to a stop in front of the Proctor.

"Inuzuka Kiba, Akamaru, are you ready?" Genma asked and both boy and dog nodded eagerly.

"Haruno Sakura, are you ready?"

Sakura inhaled deeply, then made a show of pulling her combat gloves out of her belt, pulling them on and settling them into position before answering.

"I'm ready, Proctor-san." She said, carefully channeling chakra into her muscles and bones, a trick she had only realized that she could do during the preliminaries and which she had concentrated on fiercely after Jiraiya explained how Tsunade had attained _her_ super-strength.

"Then… begin!"

Sakura leapt sideways, hurling a kunai between Kiba and Akamaru in order to try and get them to separate. To her shock, the kunai speared the food-pill that Kiba had flung at Akamaru, carrying it over a dozen meters away from the astonished genin.

.

"The hell?" Tenten gasped. "I thought _I_ was the only one who could make shots like that!"

.

Sakura skidded to a stop by the fallen trees and grabbed one, channeling the chakra through herself to give her half a second of enhanced strength as she twisted almost explosively.

.

"Okay, that's _two_ people I'm never peeping on." Jiraiya whimpered.

.

Kiba's eyes widened as he dived out of the way of the descending tree-trunk, dodging it by mere inches. Rolling to his feet, he let out a high-pitched scream at the sight of three more arcing through the air towards him, then he spun round and sprinted away, leaving small gouges in the ground through the sheer force of his acceleration.

A panicked yelping announced that Akamaru had joined him and Kiba fumbled in his pocket for another food pill, only to spill them as another shattered tree slammed down just beside him. His panicked fingers managed to find the last pill in the pouch and he tossed it to Akamaru, who snapped it out of the air.

.

Sakura paused and took several deep breaths as she fought to bring her chakra back under control. Although she had been able to deliver a couple of punches or throw a boulder or two without any real problem, keeping up a sustained barrage was on an entirely new level of difficulty.

" _Shikyaku no Jutsu_! _Jujin Bunshin_!"

"Oh, crap." Sakura muttered as she heard the names of two techniques that she had seen Kiba use during the preliminaries, then from behind one of the trees that she had thrown, _two_ Kibas sprinted out in opposite directions on all fours, arcing round to flank her.

"Dammit." She growled as she took in their courses. "Only one throw before they get in my range… Yaaah!"

Sending a large tree spiraling through the air at the Kiba on the left, Sakura spun round to face the other and punched the ground as hard as she could. The chakra-infused punch shattered the ground, flinging large fragments into the air and knocking her attacker off-course so that he sailed past a dozen feet above her head.

.

"Yep. _Definitely_ no peeking."

.

Sakura hopped across the shattered area, putting it between herself and her adversaries, then pulled out a soldier pill and snapped it in half. Swallowing half of it to replenish the chakra she had expended on her strength technique, she put the other half back in her medical pouch even as she looked round to try and locate Kiba and Akamaru.

.

"That didn't work." Kiba grumbled as he braced himself, then slammed his shoulder against the fallen tree to pop it back into its socket. "Grrrrraaarrrggggh! Damn, that hurt! Okay, it'll have to hold for now, but we need to end this quick. No choice, to break through her defense, we need to go fang over fang and if _that_ fails, we pull out the _big_ technique. You ready?"

.

Sakura raised an eyebrow as both Kibas emerged and sprinted towards her.

"Idiots." She laughed in relief as she threw another fallen tree at them, only to see something that shattered both the tree and her expectation of victory.

.

" _Gatsuga_!" Kiba howled as he gathered chakra around himself even as he started spinning, using the chakra and his claws to turn himself into a flying drill while Akamaru did the same. Around them, the world seemed to vanish in a spinning blur that was punctuated by a rain of splinters and Kiba closed his eyes, concentrating on homing in on the shampoo that Sakura used.

.

"Shit! Shitshitshit!" Sakura screamed as she frantically dodged the first flying drill that had destroyed the thrown tree, then she managed to do a back-flip that she _knew_ she'd never be able to duplicate again as she avoided the second attack, only to see the first one curving sharply around to try and strike her again. Rather than try to run away, Sakura sprinted _towards_ the incoming drill, diving into a roll at the last instant so that it passed over her, then continuing the roll to get back on her feet and run like hell.

.

"Nice one." Inuzuka Hana said approvingly. "But how are you homing in on her, little bro? You didn't have Akamaru use dynamic marking…"

"He has her scent, or she has a strong scent already on her." Tsume deduced from beside her. "But his rotation is irregular. He's hurt, left arm… he needs to end this fast or stop and use what I taught him."

.

Sakura skidded to a stop by one of the lighter trees that she had thrown and her eyes widened at the sight of the hollow trunk. For an instant, she considered simply hiding in it, but the memory of the tree exploding as Kiba slashed through it convinced her that it would be futile.

However, since they were coming in almost on opposing vectors…

.

Kiba could smell the shampoo getting stronger when suddenly the air around him was replaced by wood, causing him to bark his knuckles and feet, then a massive impact slammed through his technique and he knew no more.

.

Sakura put down the log and peered into it. It had been a technique of desperation, using it to guide Kiba and Akamaru into a head-on collision, but the two still-breathing bodies inside the hollow trunk told her that it had worked.

"Winner, Haruno Sakura." Genma said as he looked into the trunk from the other end and Sakura dropped to her hands and knees, then rolled onto her back as her adrenaline boost gave out.


	41. The Finals Continue

"That was certainly an interesting match." The Kazekage noted as he settled back into his chair. "It would seem that you have a potential second Tsunade there."

"Perhaps." Hiruzen smiled, then he paused. "I see your daughter has a flare for the dramatic."

.

Genma looked up as a shadow briefly blocked out the sun. His gaze locked on to the giant fan on which Temari was perched, then the Suna kunoichi rolled off it, closing the fan in the same instant as she dropped ten feet to the ground.

A few seconds later, her adversary appeared from the stairwell and calmly strode across the arena, bells chiming on her belt, before coming to a stop in front of Genma.

"So, you both know the rules." Genma stated, earning a pair of nods. "Good. Temari of Suna versus Tsuchi Kin of Oto… begin!"

Both shinobi remained motionless for a moment, then Temari snapped her hands into a seal.

"Kai!"

The pulse of chakra caused the Oto kunoichi to ripple out of existence and revealed her trying to sneak to the fallen trees.

" _There_ you are!" Temari growled, swinging her fan to send a blast of cutting wind at Kin, who responded by diving over one of the fallen trunks, allowing it to take the brunt of the attack. Splinters briefly filled the air and Temari took advantage of the pause to leap into the air, buoyed on her fan by a rising column of air.

.

"Can she attack without her fan?" Hiruzen asked curiously.

"Yes, but her strongest attacks are her wind techniques." The Kazekage admitted. "She has concentrated on using her fan, so her other skills may be slightly… rusty…"

"That sort of specialization may be good as part of a team, but on solo missions, it'll be a notable disadvantage." Hiruzen mused as he leaned back into his seat. "Of course, it would seem like the Oto girl is also a single-trick kunoichi with her reliance on _genjutsu_ …"

The Kazekage twitched slightly, but didn't reply.

.

"Where are you…" Temai whispered, scanning the floor of the arena for any sign of her target, then her reflexes _screamed_ at her. As she flung herself into a diving roll, a barrage of discolored senbon sliced through the space that she had been occupying.

"Got you!" Temari snarled, swinging her fan in a complex spiral as she fell through the air. Four blasts of wind slammed into the tangle of logs that the senbon had been launched from while a fifth slowed her descent so that she landed lightly, ready to launch another attack.

"Now I've got… what the hell?"

.

Kin squirmed out from underneath the half-shattered trunk, dragging her first prize with her. Propping it on the trunk, she squinted at her target, then triggered the Kunai launcher that had been abandoned in the first match, sending a score of Kunai screaming towards the fan-using bitch. As the blond bimbo used her fan to deflect the kunai, Kin pulled the second launcher out and triggered it before using the carry-strap of the final one to sling it over her back.

.

Temari used a blast of wind to send the first barrage skittering away, then to deflect the second.

How? How had that arrogant little sound-bitch managed to launch…

Launch...

Launch…

The launchers!

The launchers that the Uchiha had used! They must have pre-arranged for him to leave some of them there!

That traitorous bitch! Sound must have allied with Konoha in order to take down Suna and only she knew about it!

They probably had a way to take down Gaara as well!

Temari felt a trickle of cold sweat going down her spine. She needed to end this quickly so that she could tell Gaara that his mission had changed.

" _Futon: Okamaitachi no Jutsu_!"

.

Kin dived into a shallow recess as the air above her seemed to shatter, along with most of the logs that had been sheltering her. Pulling out a small storage scroll, she unsealed a small bag and swung it round, scattering the contents around her before hunkering down, hoping that her adversary didn't choose to simply repeat the attack until all of her cover was blown away.

.

Temari smirked as she saw her target lying almost motionless in a small dip in the ground. Folding her fan so that she could use it as a club, she crept towards the traitorous genin, stepping lightly so that she wouldn't…

"Ow!"

Temari yelped as something sharp poked through her sandal, cutting into her foot. The pain caused her to fall over and she found herself looking at a caltrop, one with the tips a different color to the metal used to make it.

Realization dawned even as the world faded and her last act was to move her fingers into a sign used only by Suna.

.

"The hell?" Baki muttered, lowering his telescope. "Did she mean to do that?"

"Do what?" Kankuro asked.

"That sign as she collapsed…" Baki mused. "What did she discover that made her use _that_ sign?"

" _What_ sign?"

.

"Winner, Tsuchi Kin." Genma announced as he carefully picked his way past the scattered caltrops to pick up the Suna kunoichi. Managing to collect the fallen contestant without scratching himself on the poisoned points, he retraced his steps to where the medic-nins were waiting.

"I used a fast-acting knockout drug." Kin supplied as she stepped up beside him. "She'll be awake in a few hours, but weak for a few days."

The lead Iryonin nodded in thanks as one of his assistants gently pulled the caltrop from Temari's foot.

.

"Stay here. I'm going to check on her, see if she can be revived long enough to tell me what she discovered."

.

"Certainly an interesting match." Hiruzen smiled as he turned his attention to the next pair of contestants.

"It was... _heh_ , Those two almost look like kunoichi." The Kazekage chuckled.

.

Neji gave his adversary a glare from the corner of his eye. He was proud of his skin and hair, but Haku's skin was even smoother than his own, while his hair was both longer and more luxuriant. In fact, if not for his _Byakugan_ , Neji might have mistaken Haku for a girl!

How could any boy be _that_ pretty? It just wasn't right!

.

Haku glanced at the fuming Hyuuga. He didn't know why the boy was so angry, but he put it out of his mind as the two of them came to a stop in front of the Proctor.

"Hyuuga Neji of Konoha, Yuki Haku of Mizu, are you both ready to fight?"

Both shinobi nodded.

"Then… begin!"

Remembering his research on the _Jyuuken_ and its weaknesses, Haku dashed away from his opponent in order to avoid the chakra-infused strikes that he had been about to launch.

.

"Revive her."

"But sir," The Iryonin protested, "If we do, it'll increase the amount of time needed for the poison to fully clear her system. She'll be unable to resume her shinobi career for a _fortnight_ rather than three…"

"I said, _revive her_." Baki growled and the med-nin seemed to slump.

"Alright, but first, sign here to say that I warned you."

Baki scrawled his name on the proffered sheet, then watched as the Iryonin used a healing Jutsu on Temari's head, causing her to groan and stir.

"Leave."

The Iryonin scampered out of the door, closing it behind him and Baki turned back to look at his student.

"…baki-sensei…?"

"Temari." Baki said quietly. "Report."

.

Another underground water cache exploded upwards, the spray turning into a barrage of Ice senbon that slashed at Neji who responded by repeating the move that had caused his cousins to gasp in shock and his uncle to smile proudly.

" _Hakkeso Kaiten_!"

Once again, the ice senbon shattered against the whirling chakra shield, their broken fragments forming a shallow moat around the Hyuuga prodigy.

"That is the third time you have tried and the third time you have failed." Neji stated. "You cannot win with that technique."

"Indeed I cannot." Haku admitted as he started making a series of hand-seals. "But, it means that at last, I can perform the technique that _will_ grant me victory. _Makyo Hyosho_!"

The water around Neji bulged and rose upwards, solidifying into a dome of ice mirrors and Haku stepped up to the dome, then stepped _into_ one of the mirrors, his image appearing on all of them.

" _Your Kaiten is not strong enough to break my mirrors._ " Haku said, his voice seeming to come from all twenty-one mirrors at once. " _Now, I am afraid that it is time to end this._ "

Neji spun round, his hands covered in chakra as he fought to deflect the senbon slashing at him from all directions but even the Genius Prodigy of the Hyuuga Clan was outmatched by the sheer speed of the attacks and within minutes, he dropped to his knees, senbon sprouting from almost every part of his body.

"I… yield!" He managed to croak and the mirrors promptly melted into falling rain as Haku re-emerged.

"Winner, Yuki Haku!" Genma announced.

.

"Well done, Haku." Zabuza said so quietly that even Chojuro and Suigetsu who were flanking him didn't hear. "I'm proud of you."

.

"What happened?" Baki asked as he sat down beside Kankuro.

"The mist dude used a really weird ice technique to win." Kanuro replied. "What did sis say?"

"You remember how I learned the basics of puppeting in order to help you?" Baki asked and Kankuro nodded. "Good. You need to get to Gaara before he reaches the arena floor, but leave Crow with me to hide your absence. I have a message for your brother. Give this to him"

Kankuro nodded as he accepted the folded sheet of paper and then stealthily unsealed his second puppet from the scroll, making sure that nothing showed above seat level.

"What about dad?"

"I'll inform him when he looks across." Baki growled. "Now… switch!"

Kankuro _kawarimi_ 'd with Crow, then crept away, leaving the genjutsu-disguised puppet sat next to Baki.

.

The med-nin vanished through the archway leading to the medical bay and Genma turned his attention to the final pair of combatants. Aburame Shino was the first to emerge from the archway, followed a few seconds later by Gaara.

.

"Fuck!" Kankuro cursed as he saw his brother step out onto the arena floor barely two meters away. "Damn it! Too slow!"

.

Baki waited for the Kazekage to look at him before his hands moved in a set of movements known only to the Kazekage and those appointed into the secret _Suna no Me_ organisation. To his shock, the Kazekage responded with the signal for _Stay On Plan_ , but using the _normal_ Suna sign-language.

"Oh fuck." He breathed. "That's not Rasa!"

"I didn't make it in time." Kankuro said quietly, having switched with his puppet while Baki was distracted.

"Then I have a _new_ mission for you." Baki growled.

.

Under his mask, Orochimaru frowned. He didn't recognize a single sequence that Baki had used, but his _Stay On Plan_ signal seemed to have calmed him.

"It looks like your youngest is going to show us his power." Hiruzen said and Orochimaru's frown deepened. The Hokage knew _something_ , but he couldn't quite work out what…

.

"Aburame Shino of Konoha, Gaara of the Desert, shinobi of Suna, are you both ready?" Genma asked.

"I am prepared." Shino droned.

"I will prove my existence!" Gaara growled, earning a quirked eyebrow from Genma.

"Then the final match of the first round will… begin!"

A swarm of bugs erupted from Shino's coat and surrounded Gaara.

"Is that it?" Gaara sneered, then he started to choke, spitting as he tried to expel the bugs that had flown into his mouth.

"Your sand armor covers your skin, but every armor has a weak point." Shino stated calmly. "I wonder if your eyes are as vulnerable…"

"You'll never learn!" Gaara howled, the cork of the gourd he wore popping off as a torrent of sand flowed out, swatting away the bugs before rearing up and crashing down over Shino, reducing him to a sand-covered lump on the ground.

.

"Well, that was fast." The Kazekage smirked.


	42. A Genin's Bravery

" _Your sand armor covers your skin, but every armor has a weak point." Shino stated calmly. "I wonder if your eyes are as vulnerable…"  
_ " _You'll never learn!" Gaara howled, the cork of the gourd he wore popping off as a torrent of sand flowed out, swatting away the bugs before rearing up and crashing down over Shino, reducing him to a sand-covered lump on the ground._

"You missed." Shino said as he stepped out from behind one of the tangles of branches near the edge of the arena and Gaara's sand retracted, revealing a crushed and splintered log where Shino had been standing. "I believe that it is now my turn."

A rumbling noise marked slabs of stone rising up to seal off all the doors at ground level, then a dozen scrolls unrolled downwards from where they had been concealed under the lip of the wall, showing large fuuinjutsu patterns that almost immediately revealed what their purpose was.

Each scroll almost vanished behind a wall of spray as a veritable waterfall poured out, covering the entire arena floor in under a minute and continuing to disgorge their loads. Shino stood calmly on a small coracle that he had unsealed, letting it bob on the choppy water as he watched Gaara.

.

"But… but Aburame _hate_ the water!" Kiba spluttered. "They have, like, super-drowning skills!"

"Obviously not." Tsume mused. "Interesting…"

.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed. "I wonder when he and his clan set _that_ up."

.

Gaara took a jagged breath as another portion of his frantically-created sand pillar became waterlogged and peeled off, vanishing into the now-five-foot-deep lake that had once been a solid arena. His gourd cracked and shattered into sand as he fought to stabilize his precarious platform.

"Water washes away sand." Shino noted as the scrolls finally exhausted their stored water. "How long can you hold yourself out of the water, Gaara of the _Desert_? _Can_ you hold yourself above the water?"

Gaara started looking around in panic as the sand pillar reduced in size once again, then he screamed as the pillar sheared under him, sending him toppling into the water. An instant later, he resurfaced, standing in the neck-deep water, his hair plastered against his skull and tiny driblets of mud falling off his skin.

"Your sand is gone." Shino stated. "My clan provided me with the report of a Konoha shinobi who managed to observe you on one of your missions, you rely totally on your sand for attack and defense. Without it… even a civilian would have no trouble defeating you."

"Nooooooo!" Gaara screamed and as if in response to his yell, white feathers began to fall from the sky.

.

The first clue that Naruto had that things were going wrong were when he started to feel sleepy, only to be jolted awake by a chakra burst from Asuma.

"What the… what's going on?"

"Genjutsu, and a big one." Asuma growled as he pulled out his knives, fitting his fingers through the holes in the hilts with the ease of long practice. "The Kazekage and his guards grabbed pops, we need to move!"

Naruto leaped after Asuma, glancing round as he did so, then he found himself facing a huge, transparent purple barrier.

"Shit!" Asuma growled. "We can't get in and with the _genjutsu_ across the village…"

"I got it." Naruto interrupted, gathering chakra like Kurenai had showed him months ago, months that seemed almost like years. As the multi-armed man in the corner of the barrier closest to them sneered, Naruto gathered as much chakra as he could hold, then he released it in a giant burst.

" _Kai_!"

The wave of chakra seemed almost solid as it raced across the stadium and out into Konoha proper, shocking everyone awake. For an instant, the purple chakra cube seemed to waver, then it re-solidified.

"That's Orochimaru in there." Came a voice and Naruto glanced sideways to see the white-coated ANBU Okami standing beside him.

Naruto turned to Asuma, only to find him gone and the sound of fighting increasing below. Movement inside the cube caught his eye and he watched as three coffins erupted out of the ground, only for one of them to slowly sink back down. The other two opened and Neko gasped.

"The Shodai and the Nidaime! Orochimaru's summoned them from the grave to fight for him!"

"Hell, no!" Naruto shouted and suddenly he was standing by Hiruzen's side.

"Naruto?" Hiruzen asked in surprise. "What are you doing… no. _How_ did you get in here?"

"I snuck a tag into your hat a few weeks ago." Naruto shrugged. "So, you need reinforcements… _op-force_ style?"

Orochimaru paused, his hands resting against the back of the resurrected Hokage's skulls. "What are you doing and _how_ did you get in here? This technique even covers attacks from below…"

" _Kaimon_! _Kyumon_! _Seimon_!" Naruto shouted, chakra almost crackling around him as Hiruzen placed one hand on his shoulder, then rested his staff on Naruto's other shoulder. " _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Smoke engulfed the rooftop, before disappating to reveal a sight that had Orochimaru's stomach dropping. The intruding genin stood with Hiruzen behind him, flanked by almost twenty clones of his old Sensei, each holding a copy of the Diamond Staff.

"Oh. Crap." Orochimaru managed.

"Naruto, I need you out there, helping to defeat those attacking Konoha." One of the Hiruzens said and Naruto vanished in a golden flash. "Well, are you prepared to face your _teachers_ , young snake?"

"Hashirama, Tobirama, _attack_!" Orochimaru shouted, panic evident in his voice and the horde of Hiruzens lunged forwards, swinging their summoned staffs.

.

Naruto appeared on the roof of the Hokage tower and glanced round, checking to see where the greatest concentration of fighting was. Before he could act, his attention was arrested by a trio of summons in the surrounding forest. Naruto _shunshin_ ed to the outer wall and his hands flashed through five seals as he channeled as much chakra as he could.

" _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

A massive cloud of smoke formed and resolved into three giant Toads who glanced round, spotting the summoned snakes approaching the walls of Konoha almost instantly.

" **Well, well, well, looks like I'll get that snake-skin wallet after all."** Gamabunta rumbled, one paw stroking the handle of the sword thrust through his belt.

"Yeah, but until I recover from using the Gates, I can't help by spamming my clones." Naruto complained. "Dammit! I hate not being able to do things."

" **Gamahiro, take the snake on the left."** Gamabunta ordered and the green Toad reached up to unsheathe the two Katanas on its back. **"Gamaken, you have the one on the right. The three-headed one is mine."**

" **Understood, Gamabunta-dono."** The sword-bearing toad responded.

" **I'll do my best, but I am rather clumsy."**

" **Go!"**

Naruto held on as tightly as he could as Gamabunta accelerated past the three-headed-snake, his blade almost hissing as it sliced off one of the snakes heads.

"It's coming after us!"

" **Then that means it _isn't_ smashing down the walls."** Gamabunta countered as he spun with a lightness that belied his size. As he settled, the ground shook and Naruto glanced across to see Gamaken, moving with incredible grace, slamming his Sasumata down again, crushing the head of the snake he was fighting and causing it to dispel.

"Gamaken's finished his one off!"

" **So has Gamahiro."** Gamabunta smirked and the now-two-headed-snake paused, glancing at where its brethren had been and the two toads leaping towards its position, weapons glinting in the sunlight.

" **Boys, help me pin this one down so that we can** _ **ask**_ **a few questions."**

Naruto had never seen a snake swallow nervously before, but the one before him did so before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

"What just happened?"

" **The coward dispelled itself."** Gamabunta grumbled, using the flat of his blade to send a group of roof-hopping Oto shinobi screaming into the air. **"Hmmm, looks like that girl over there could use some backup."**

"What? Where? Hinata!?"

.

Hinata stood in front of the entrance to the shelter where the Academy students had been escorted, three corpses that had been Oto Shinobi lying in front of her.

"It's only one girl!" An Oto Jonin shouted as he rallied his team and Hinata dropped into a modified Jyuuken stance.

"You shall not pass." She declared, trying not to let her fear slow her down.

"Yeah, You and what army?" The Jonin sneered just as a flash of light marked Naruto's appearance. Even as he appeared, he lunged forwards, the _Rasengan_ forming in his hand and ploughing straight through the Jonin's chest.

"That," He panted, "Would be me."

The surviving half-dozen Oto shinobi exchanged glances, then vanished.

"Naruto, we need clones." Hinata commanded and Naruto winced.

"I'm still using the Gates, mine will dispel at once."

"But _mine_ won't and we need more eyes." Hinata stated. Naruto nodded and pulled her into a hug.

" _Taijuu Kage Bunshin_!"

Two dozen new Hinatas appeared in a cloud of denser-than-normal chakra smoke and promptly took to the rooftops, their _byakugan_ s active as they sought out the enemy shinobi still fighting.

"What's happening on the roof over there?" Hinata asked, pointing to the distant purple cube. "My _byakugan_ can't penetrate it."

"Jiji's laying the smack down on Orochimaru." Naruto grinned. "I used the Gates to give him almost a dozen clones to help him."

Hinata made several hand-signals and three of her clones dropped down around them, taking up guard positions.

"Shut those Gates and let me heal you so you can start making more clones." Hinata commanded.

.

"How's that?" Hinata asked, removing her green-glowing hands from Naruto's torso. "You should be healed enough now."

Naruto closed his eyes in concentration and several dozen clones popped into existence around him before leaping off to join the Hinata-clones in harrying the retreating Oto shinobi.

"Thanks, Hime-sama." Naruto smiled. "It looks like things are calming down now. Thanks, Gamabunta-san, but I think it's almost over."

" **It was a brief fight, but it wasn't a bad fight."** Gamabunta smiled. **"Call us again when you need us."**

As he vanished, a white-haired figure landed beside him, a bloody kunai held in his hand.

"Nice one, Gaki." Jiraiya grinned. "Looks like things are almost done, Orochimaru lost. Hold this point until further notice."

"You got it, Pervy-Sage." Naruto grinned as Jiraiya took to the rooftops, searching for any enemy still trying to harm Konoha, then he grabbed at his head and staggered slightly.

"Whoah, that's a _lot_ of new techniques..."

Hinata turned slightly as she focused on the rooftop where the chakra barrier had been.

"There's… _seven_ Hokages! No, six… four… two… just one."

"Yeah, and I'm getting the headache to prove it." Naruto grumbled. "Some of those techniques he used, he didn't even pause to _think_ about how to do them, he just _did_ them as if they were as reflexive as… as catching a kunai."

"One of his nicknames _is_ The Professor." Hinata shrugged. "He wouldn't have earned that title if he _didn't_ know lots of ninjutsu."

" _And_ how to use them." Naruto added. "You alright?"

Hinata nodded, then she flung herself into Naruto's arms, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Hinata?"

"I… I killed them…" Hinata sobbed and Naruto looked at the trio of corpses, then concentrated on hugging Hinata.

"Hinata?" A voice called and Kurenai landed next to them, her eyes taking in the situation almost instantly. "Oh dear… first kill… I'd hoped to delay it until she was at least Chunin… I've got this."

Naruto let Hinata's Sensei enfold her in a reassuring hug as Hinata sobbed into her shoulder.

"Uzumaki-san?" A voice said and Naruto turned to see an ANBU standing nearby. "The Hokage wants to see you."

"Go." Kurenai said, looking up briefly from her crying student. "I'll help Hinata through this… it's something that all shinobi go through at some point… I still remember _my_ first kill…"

Naruto looked at Kurenai for a long moment, then nodded and vanished in a flash of golden light. Karenai stared in shock at the place that he had been.

"He's learned the true _Hiraishin_? He's mastered his father's jutsu?"


	43. Perspectives Of Battle

Kin used a dispel to counter the effects of the _genjutsu_ being placed on the entire stadium and grinned as she saw the other genin start to sag.

"Heh, guess I'll be winning all the rest of the matches." She sneered as she pulled out a handful of poisoned senbon, then she was sent staggering by a wave of chakra that wiped out the _genjutsu_ as if it had never been there in the first place.

"The fuck was _that_?" She gasped, then she felt her wrist being grabbed by the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Poisoned senbon? And just _what_ were you planning on doing with those?"

Kin gulped as she met the furious green eyes. "Ummm, I can explain?"

.

"Attack!" The Jonin in charge of the Oto Assault Groups shouted into his radio and the task forces secretly emplaced within Konoha burst out of their hiding places to begin wreaking havoc throughout the unsuspecting city.

As the specially-trained Chunin used the summoning circles to call forth three of the larger Summon Snakes to break down the wall surrounding Konoha to open it up for the second wave of attacks, the Jonin was shocked to feel a kunai plunging into his upper back, severing his spine.

"…why…" He croaked and the Suna Shinobi who had inflicted the mortal wound glared down at him.

"Did you really think we didn't know about the betrayal you planned?"

The Oto-nin died in confusion, failing to understand what the Suna-nin was talking about.

.

Activating her byakugan, Hinata caught sight of three Oto Shinobi descending on a group of children outside the arena. Without hesitation, she used _shunshin_ to reach the top of the outer wall, then another to land in the middle of the attaching Shinobi, striking them down with chakra-laced strikes.

"Thanks, Hinata." The man herding the children said gratefully and Hinata blinked as she realized that it was Iruka. "Can you help me get them to safety?"

Hinata nodded.

.

"Urgh!" Kin managed as she was back-handed into the wall by Sakura, then pinned into place by a barrage of Senbon through her clothing, a barrage launched by Haku. "But… you're not from Konoha…"

Haku shrugged. "Kiri seeks an alliance with Konoha. What better way to prove our good intentions than by helping defend Konoha against those who wish to attack? Now, if you will pardon me…"

Haku dived off the platform and landed atop the water in the arena. A quick move caused a wave of water to engulf the raging Gaara, a wave that promptly froze, leaving only his head free.

"And that should hold him for now." Haku stated, ignoring the screaming of the red-head, then from outside the arena, a new voice sounded.

" _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

The shapes of several giant toads loomed up against the skyline.

" **Well, well, well."** The largest of them mused as he looked at the three giant snakes beginning to smash their way through the village's walls. **"Looks like I'll get that snake-skin wallet after all."**

"…the fuck?" Kin gasped.

"Hey, you forgetting something?" Sakura asked and Kin looked back, just in time to see Sakura's fist heading towards her.

"Oh cr…"

.

The first two Oto Shinobi to appear didn't even have time to finish unsheathing their weapons before their heads were seperated from their bodies.

"Chojuro, circle left! Suigetsu, to the right!" Zabuza roared as he used his sword to block an attack by an Oto Jonin who had seen what had happened to his team-mates. "And Suigetsu, no tags! Too much chance of civilian casualties!"

"But they're not _our_ civilians…" Suigetsu protested, earning a glare from his Sensei. "Okay, fine. No tags… dammit."

Zabuza spun his sword, taking off the hand of the shinobi trying to attack him, then frowned at Suigetsu.

"Why the hell are you still standing here? Go!"

"Hai, Sensei!" Suigetsu yelped as he dashed off.

"Still got it." Zabuza smirked as he negligently decapitated the screaming Oto-nin.

.

Baki palmed a Kunai as he glanced round, then he rolled away from an Oto Shinobi who landed almost exactly where he had been standing. The newcomer turned, brandishing a large sword and Baki's hand twitched, sending the kunai plunging into his eye and killing him.

As the attacker collapsed, Baki rolled to his feet, a second kunai seeming to materialize in his hand.

"Dammit!" He snarled. "I hope to hell my message got through."

.

"This isn't good." Haruno Kizashi mused as he almost negligently knifed an attacking shinobi while he and his wife covered one of the exits that the panicked civilians were using.

_**CLANG!** _

Kizashi looked round at Mebuki, who had a dented frying pan in her hand and a concussed shinobi at her feet.

"Dear," He commented, "Isn't that the pan that you inherited from your mother?"

"So?" Mebuki asked as she blocked a shuriken with the aforementioned utensil. "You know that she never approved of me choosing to _not_ become a Shinobi…"

"You would have made an excellent one." Kizashi pointed out and Mebuki growled.

"You _know_ that I don't-" _ **CLANG**_ "-Like violence."

"Yes dear." Kizashi smirked. "Oh, look, our daughter just punched someone through a wall."

**CLANG** _**WHAM** _ **CRASH** _**!** _

Kizashi looked at the new hole and the pair of sandals sticking out from the pile of rubble, then at his wife, who was still holding her (even more dented than before) frying pan.

"Ah, it's _that_ time of the month, is it?"

"AND JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?"

"Nothing, dear…"

.

"Yosh! I have defeated thirty-five of these most unyouthful Oto shinobi!" Gai exulted as he spun through a complex series of kicks and strikes that ended with his fist protruding from the back of another Oto-nin. "Make that thirty-six! How many have you defeated, my eternal rival?"

"Did you say something?" Kakashi asked as he stamped down hard, sending a rock spike lunging upwards and through the chest of one of the attackers. "Hmmm, I do believe that this makes thirty-nine kills."

"And this makes us even!" Gai called as a spinning kick caved in the chest of another assailant.

"Really?" Kakashi asked, cutting off a lightning technique. "You're up to forty-three as well?"

"Curse your hip and too cool attitude, Kakashi!"

"Did you say something?"

.

Danzo stared in confusion at his ROOT operative.

"Did you just say that Suna has turned against Oto? What is going on up there?"

.

Orochimaru didn't even have the breath to spare cursing as he frantically rolled and dodged the half-dozen staffs wielded by the clones of his former teacher, creating and switching with mud-clones almost reflexively as his survival instincts screamed at him almost continuously. In the corners of the far-too-small enclosure, his two resurrected minions were losing ground against the other clones and he caught a glimpse of Hashirama falling, his head destroyed by the impact of two staffs, thus ending his resurrection.

Orochimaru avoided a vertical strike by switching with another clone, then he rolled to avoid a strike that would have decapitated him only to find himself trapped in a horizontal cylinder of six enlarged staffs, a cylinder whose ends had been blocked by the ends of two more staffs and whose nature as transformed summons prevented him from _kawarimi_ -ing to safety.

"Oh, bloody…" Orochimaru started to sigh before the end-caps of the staffs slammed inwards.

.

"What the hell is going on?" Baki shouted in frustration as he watched Kakashi shove a lightning-coated hand through the spine of an Oto ninja. "Wasn't this an attempt to wipe out Suna?"

"Nope, it's an attack on Konoha." Kakashi replied as the corpse slumped to the ground. "Thanks for killing that Oto-nin earlier, he could have caused quite a bit of trouble had he reached the civilians."

Baki nodded, his mind frantically churning as he fought to understand the situation. The Kazekage was obviously dead with Orochimaru replacing him, but Konoha was strong enough that it could probably have fought off Suna and Oto, had he not sent orders to his men to ambush the second wave of Oto shinobi before retreating, thus denying Konoha the excuse it would need to flatten Suna.

Yet it would seem that Konoha hadn't actually known about the invasion until it started, which meant…

"Kamis above, this is so fucking screwed up." He grumbled.

.

Hiruzen didn't even twitch as blood started seeping out between the lower staffs forming the cylinder. Instead, he motioned for the two clones at the ends to repeat the attack.

With Orochimaru, you _had_ to make certain.

The snake had escaped too many times for any other course of action.

.

"Heh, just a couple of old people." The Jonin leading the squad of six sneered as he saw the duo stading in front of the Hokage tower. "Kill them!"

Mitokada Homora adjusted his glasses slightly, then pulled at the scroll he was wearing over his chest. The scroll unrolled, revealing lines of _fuuinjutsu_ as beside him, Ututane Koharu shifted into a defensive stance, raising her right arm to reveal that it was encased in a metal gauntlet.

"Screw this, we need to get out of here!"

The Jonin half-turned to glare at the chunin who had spoken. "What the hell are you talking about, traitor?"

"Hey, just look at them." The chunin protested. "They're _old_ shinobi who are ready to fight! No way they'd be standing like that if they didn't have a ton of experience to draw on and you remember that old saying? _Experience and trickery will defeat youth and skill_. We need to fall back."

"You might want to listen to the young man." Koharu offered and the Jonin shook his head as he unsheathed his sword.

"Kill them, then burn the tower to the ground!"

"Well, he tried to warn you." Homora shrugged, his hands moving to the storage seals on his scroll. "Time to see if my old skills are still sharp enough…"

The Jonin lunged, only to come to a sudden stop as Koharu grabbed his blade, locking it with her metal-encased fingers.

"My turn, young boy." She said with an icy smile.

"…ohshit…"

.

The chakra barrier vanished as the quartet holding it up reacted to the loss of their leader and fought to escape. All around Konoha, the Oto Shinobi noted the change in circumstances. The most intelligent of them tried to retreat while those who only sought combat pressed their attack, uncaring that they were surrounded and outnumbered.

Only a small fraction of those trying to escape succeeded.

None of those who continued to attack lasted more than a few minutes.

.

* * *

.

"Well, it looks like it's all done." Hiruzen mused as he stood on the ridgeline of the Stadium's roof.

"If this is how it's normally like, I need to visit more often. Mei will be sorry she had to re-recruit that Jinchuuriki rather than attend." Zabuza said as he stood beside the Hokage, his sword covered in blood that was slowly being absorbed into the blade.

"It'll be interesting to find out just what Orochimaru _intended_ to happen." Hiruzen continued, glancing at the scroll in his hand, the scroll that held the mangled remains of the Snake Sannin. "While all battles are somewhat chaotic by their very nature, this one was… the _wrong_ sort of chaos."

"Yeah." Zabuza agreed. "Those Oto idiots were acting as if they had more backup than they actually did and most of the Suna shinobi who popped up at the start seem to have vanished."

"Strange." Hiruzen mused.

"It was rather weird." Zabuza agreed, then he turned to face the older man. "So, you given thought as to Terumi's request for an alliance?"

"I have, and I think that it is a good idea." Hiruzen said, then he turned to face an ANBU who had appeared behind him, kneeling as he awaited orders.

"I need Uzumaki Naruto here."

"Hai, Hokage-dono." The ANBU replied before he vanished and Zabuza gave Hiruzen a curious glance.

"I happen to know that there's a certain trophy in the Mizukage's office." Hiruzen smirked. "Would you care to take back my acceptance of the treaty?"

"Sure." Zabuza shrugged. "But I'll take my team with me, if you don't mind."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Hiruzen replied as Naruto appeared before them. "Ah, Naruto, just the person I wanted. Are you able to make clones again?"

Three clones appeared in a puff of smoke and Zabuza raised one non-existant brow.

"No hand-seals… not bad, kid."

.

"Gaara, stand down!" Baki commanded and the red-haired genin growled at him. "I mean it, Gaara. Stand. Down. One Konoha genin took you down with ease and Konoha has _dozens_ of _suiton_ users."

The Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi finally stopped snarling even as the ice holding him immobile (and separated from his sand) melted with unnatural speed.

"Can someone _please_ get rid of all this water?" Baki half-yelled and a moment later, the water started vanishing into a series of grates set around the base of the arena walls.

.

A cloaked man with an ANBU mask picked up a small, white snake that was wriggling its way to the walls surrounding Konoha. Holding it up, he looked at it for a moment before tucking it into a pocket and walking away, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.


	44. A Genin's Recognition

"Ah, Naruto." Hiruzen smiled as his favorite orphan entered the office. "You remember Gaara?"

Naruto looked to the corner, where the red-haired boy was sat with a surprisingly calm expression on his face in between a boy and a girl who both looked slightly freaked out. In front of them stood an older man with a veil covering half of his face.

"Sort of… Hey, Gaara."

"Uzumaki." Gaara nodded back. "Thank you."

"For what?" Naruto asked, only for a new voice to answer.

"When I first examined your seal after the Kyuubi's attack, I noted several interesting parts that I hadn't encountered before." Jiraiya said. "When I examined Gaara's seal, I noticed that it was… sub-par is too generous. So I fixed it using some of your father's ideas. Gaara now has all his sand-techniques, but the Ichibi can't escape unless he lets it."

Naruto nodded. "Just like the Kyuubi. That reminds me, I'm going to have to visit the Toads again soon, the Kyuubi wants to experience the world and I think the Great Toad Sages may be able to help me adjust the _Kage Bunshin_ so that the Kyuubi can create a small, temporary avatar for himself."

"As long as you keep enough control that you can dismiss his clone if he even _thinks_ about trying anything, I don't see too many problems." Hiruzen mused, earning a nod of gratitude from Naruto and a shocked look from Jiraiya.

"Anyway." Hiruzen continued. "During the abortive invasion… and it was meant to be one, but Jonin Baki reached a logical, albeit totally wrong conclusion and had his forces pull out after striking at the Oto forces…"

The half-veiled man nodded, a look of embarrassment on the visible portion of his face.

"…your actions proved that you are ready for promotion to Chunin, especially since you managed to do your father's version of the _Hiraishin_."

Naruto opened his mouth, then froze as he replayed the previous day's fight.

"I… I did…"

"Can you still do it?" Jiraiya asked and Naruto frowned in thought.

"Well, I… I think that I…"

The world blinked around him and Naruto found himself standing in his house.

"Yes!" He shouted in celebration, startling the clone who was tidying up. "At last!"

Gathering his chakra, he returned to the Hokage's office with a grin.

"Yes!" He exulted. " _That_ 's how it's done, all three techniques at once and syncing them up correctly to avoid the chakra surges!"

"Interesting." Hiruzen mused. "Perhaps you could try to teach my Guard afterwards. I'm certain that you'll be teaching Hinata as well."

"I think it was learning the _Rasengan_ that helped me make the final step." Naruto said thoughtfully. "Controlling a spiraling sphere of chakra takes quite a bit of concentration… I'll have to practice to make sure I've got it down first, though."

"I'll mark it as a _Hijitsu_ of the Uzumaki clan, albeit one shared with the Senju clan." Hiruzen offered. "So, I called you here for several reasons. The first is that I'd like to have you take Baki and the Sand Siblings back to Suna. Now they know that we have a full _Hiraishin_ user and others learning, I feel certain that they won't be tempted to try and break the alliance between us."

Baki nodded quickly.

"Next… here."

Naruto accepted the Chunin vest and grinned at it, then he paused.

"Aw crud, I'm going to have to adjust my wardrobe, aren't I?"

"You are starting to outgrow that Haori, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue." Hiruzen shrugged. "Finally, I have several messages that I want you to give out…"

.

* * *

.

"Congratulations, Naruto." Hiashi said and Naruto blinked.

"You… you've already heard?"

"I am a Hyuuga." Hiashi said as if it explained everything, then his lips twitched in what may have been a brief smile. "I have my sources."

"Ah, right." Naruto managed. "Anyway, Hiruzen sent me to round up the genin for a meeting at half-two in the mission office… which he's repurposing for this. Parents can attend as well, if they wish…"

"I will escort my daughter and nephew personally." Hiashi nodded. "Thank you… _chunin_ Naruto."

"Still getting used to that." Naruto said with a slight smile.

"By the way, where is your vest? Or have you decided to simply not wear it?"

"It's at _Silken Leaf Fashions_ for adjustment." Naruto explained, rubbng the back of his head. "I'm also getting a new Haori to go with it, it'll attach with small pop-studs by the collar."

"I am certain that it will look good." Hiashi replied.

"It'll be ready by the meeting." Naruto shrugged.

"Will you be there?"

"Yup." Naruto grinned. "Once I've done all the missions. I've got a dozen message-relays to the border-outposts to do first, though."

"Then I shall not keep you." Hiashi said. "Thank you for delivering the message."

Naruto bowed and vanished in a flash of golden light.

"He truly _does_ know his father's _Hiraishin_." Hiashi mused. "Fascinating…"

.

"Gotcha!" Shikamaru growled as his shadow lashed out to freeze the demon in its tracks. Choji carefully deployed the carry-basket in front of it and Shikamaru moved carefully in order to force the screeching monster from the darkest pits of hell into the wickerwork container.

"Tora, captured." Ino confirmed, peering through the metal-grill flap at the hissing furball inside.

"I _hate_ that thing." Shikamaru sighed.

"Hey, it's good practise for tracking and capture." Naruto pointed out and Shikamaru jolted in shock.

"DAMMIT NARUTO! Stop doing that to me!" Shikamaru panted as he recovered.

"Sorry." Naruto grinned unrepentantly. "There's a meeting for the Rookies at half past two regarding what happened during the finals, mission office. I've been sent to round everyone up for it."

Shikamaru squinted at him suspiciously. "Is this _you_ or a clone?"

"You got me, I'm a clone." The Kage Bunshin shrugged. "Boss went to…"

"Hinata." Shikamaru interrupted. "Okay. We'll pass word to Asuma-sensei and we'll be there."

The clone dispelled and Shikamaru sighed.

"Should we get going?" Choji asked.

"Yep. Let's go. I wonder how troublesome it'll be…"

.

"A meeting?" Gai mused. "Yosh! Perhaps we shall see one of my precious students being promoted, as you have been!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tenten interjected, looking at Naruto. "You've been promoted?"

"Chunin Uzumaki, at your service." Naruto grinned. "That reminds me, can your dad produce more of these?"

Tenten took the oddly-shaped kunai and looked at it.

"It's got good balance… the extra points'll help in blocking swords and other bladed weapons… it'll fly well once thrown, but the way the blade is weighted, it'll fly point-first rather than be able to be thrown so it spins… no hilt-wrapping, but it looks like there _was_ something there and why the _heck_ does it look so famiiar?"

"That is one of the Yondaime's tri-blade kunai." Gai mused. "It lacks the tag that wrapped around the handle, but…"

"Oh my word!" Tenten gasped. "You've got the one-person version of the _Hiraishin_ working?"

Naruto nodded. "I kinda stumbled across how to do it during the battle, it let me get to the Old Man and give him the boost he needed to destroy Orochimaru. I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to continue our training sessions, I may be a chunin now, but I still have a _lot_ to learn regarding weapons."

"Very true." Gai agreed. "Those who think they have nothing left to learn are those who die from their arrogance."

.

* * *

.

Hiruzen looked at the crowd before him. At the back stood the four Jonin-Senseis as well as Hyuuga Hiashi while twelve genin (and one chunin who was resplendent in his new Haori-enhanced chunin vest) stood in front of them. To one side, Jiraiya lounged on the window-sill.

"Welcome." Hiruzen said, effortlessly grabbing everyone's attention. "The last few days have been quite challenging and we are only just beginning to get to grips with what we have learned and what has happened. Jiraiya is particularly irritated in that his intelligence network failed to warn us that the attack was going to happen."

"Some of my agents are less reliable than I had thought." Jiraiya admitted. "I'll get onto it after I've done that retreival mission you want me to do."

"Good." Hiruzen said, then he turned his attention back to his audience. "You are here because some of you proved yourselves worthy of promotion during the attack. The more observant amongst you will have noted that Uzumaki Naruto is already a chunin."

Hiruzen paused as Kiba whooped and high-fived Naruto before realizing just what he'd interrupted and slinking to hide behind an obviously amused Shino.

"As I was saying, Naruto has been awarded the rank of chunin, but he is not the only one." Hiruzen continued. "I have received reports from your Jonin-Senseis, as well as eyewitness reports from various shinobi who were present during the attack and now, I shall inform you of the decisions that I have reached.  
"Team seven, Uchiha Sasuke. You proved your tactical skills during the finals, planning ahead but being able to change your plans on the fly when appropriate. During the attack, you followed orders and defended the innocent until they could get into the shelters. Once that was done, you told a senior ninja what you had seen, giving them the information they needed to head off an assault that would have caused massive casualties.  
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion and your request to be considered for ANBU training has been granted. Congratulations, chunin."

Sasuke accepted the vest almost reverantly, then stepped back as Tobio clapped him on his shoulder in congratulations.

"Team eight, Aburame Shino. Like Sasuke, you proved that you could plan ahead, setting up storage scrolls full of water and _fuuinjutsu_ arrays for _doton_ techniques to use during your match against an adversary who, under any other circumstance, you would have been unable to hold your own against. In a very real sense, it was your actions which prevented Gaara from unleashing his Biju through his sand as the attackers had planned. During the attack, you joined with your clan to swarm several of the attackers, proving your teamwork credentials.  
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion. Congratulations, chunin."

Shino accepted the vest stoically.

"Team nine, Higurashi Tenten. Although you lost your fight, you demonstrated that you could counter most of the attacks used against you. During the invasion, you found high ground and provided long-range covering fire which has been credited with saving the lives of at least five of the shinobi of Konoha.  
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion. Congratulations, chunin."

Tenten slowly took the vest, a disbelieving grin on her face. As she returned to her team, Gai and Lee both caught her in a hug that lifted her off the ground before she was able to lever them off her.

"Team ten, although none of you made it to the finals, your choice of ensuring the well-being of one your own over the mission has been noted and will go into your files. Although none of you are to be promoted this time, rest assured that in future tests, you will be at an advantage in the eyes of the judges."  
"However, having three of you promoted out of your teams and one of you transferring to my ANBU will require some rearrangement. I leave it to you to decide."

Sakura gave Sasuke a pleading look.

"I have to do this. I have always _planned_ on doing it." Sasuke said quietly. "We can… still be friends…"

"I would suggest that you decide amongst yourselves what you wish to do." Hiruzen continued. "All except Naruto, dismissed. Naruto, please stay, I have a mission for you."

Naruto paused just long enough to give Hinata a quick kiss on her cheek, eliciting a surprised _eep_ , before moving out of the way of the departing group.

"Okay, so what's the mission, sir?"

"So formal?" Hiruzen chuckled, then he nodded to Jiraiya. "I'm sending Jiraiya to retrieve my third student, Senju Tsunade, and bring her back here. With your recent grasping of your father's signature jutsu, I feel you would be perfect for this mission as you would be able to return with her, quite literally, in a flash."

Naruto nodded slowly, then he grinned.

"Hey, pervy-sage, what do you plan on doing during the journey if I _do_ go with you?"

"Well, mainly checking your general knowledge and enhancing it, teaching you the art of reconnaisance, spycraft, diplomacy… I've talked to Kosuke-san about what he taught you and you've had a pretty firm base for me to build on."

"And I can save us some money as well." Naruto grinned, pulling out a tri-blade kunai and holding it for Jiraiya to take. The Toad Sage did so, looking at it curiously.

"I still need to get back to the Toads." Naruto explained. "You set off and I can use that to join you once I'm done. In fact, when I do, we won't need to worry about hotels, I can just _jump_ us back and forth once you find a good place to temporarily hide that as a beacon."

"Deyaaaammn." Jiraiya breathed. "Why the heck didn't _I_ think of that…"


	45. A Chunin Among The Toads

" **Welcome back, Naruto."** Fukasaku said as the blond human walked up to where he was sitting.

"It's good to be back." Naruto smiled, then he glanced round. "Where's Shima?"

" **She's helping Gamabunta deal with something that came up regarding one of the other summon clans."** Fukasaku said, pulling himself onto his feet. **"It isn't a big thing, but it does need dealing with. Now, you… is that a chunin vest?"**

"It is." Naruto grinned, stroking the zip of the vest that showed from under the edge of his Haori. "I was promoted yesterday."

" **Congratulations."** Fukasaku smiled as he started up the path to the grove. **"One step closer to your dream of becoming Hokage."**

"Yeah, but still a _long_ way to go." Naruto sighed. "At the end of the invasion, I got _loads_ of technique-memories from the Hokage… I had to write them down before I forgot them, then check with him that I'd got them right _and_ had permission to learn them..."

" **Ah yes, your memory-skill that Jiraiya was complaining about."** Fukasaku chuckled. **"You're still doing it?"**

"Mainly to enjoy time with Hinata." Naruto admitted. "We're mainly using the clones to do housework together and stuff… I'm getting pretty good at pressing flowers. Oh, and I'm getting plenty of lessons on how to act in different types of situations. My old _Grin stupidly and shout greetings_ method wasn't a good one, in retrospect."

" **With great power comes great responsibility."** Fukasaku intoned, then he caught Naruto's quizzical expression. **"Arachnid Clan saying. It means the more power you have, the more responsible you are for what you do with it** _ **and**_ **the outcomes that using it creates."**

"…that's deep." Naruto finally managed, then he glanced round. "Gamamaru-san?"

" **Hello there."** The eldest of the Toads smiled from his seat on one of the stone slabs. **"I hope you don't mind, but I wanted to have a talk with the child of my old friend."**

 _Was that Uncle Gama?_ The Kyuubi asked and Naruto nodded slightly.

 _It is and he was hoping to talk to you._ Naruto sent back.

" **Shall we begin?"** Gamamaru asked and Naruto scurried to the stone slab that had served as his seat the last time he had been in the clearing.

.

Tsuchi Kin looked up at the looming figure of Morino Ibiki and tried not to let her bladder empty itself as he simply _looked_ at her.

Her sense of vulnerability was increased by the fact that she was tied to a hospital bed (with a cast on her left arm and bandages holding her cracked ribs in place) with only a sheet (and a few bandages) protecting her modesty.

Despite her attempt to show defiance, she flinched as Ibiki reached into his pocket. A few seconds later, his hand reappeared, but it was holding two items that Kin recognised instantly.

"Those are…"

"The _hitai-ates_ worn by your two team-mates before Orochimaru sacrificed them to aid in his attempt to kill the Hokage." Ibiki rumbled and Kin felt her eyes start to tear up briefly before she drew on her anger.

"As if we were a proper team." She scoffed, then she shrank back as Ibiki raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed. Not that it matters any more. Orochimaru is dead."

Kin felt her heart stutter at the news. If he was dead, then Otogakure was effectively _gone_ , meaning that she was an independent shinobi…

No more beatings to drive out the weakness, no more fear of being the next test subject…

…no more private quarters with a seal-enhanced lockable door…

…no-one who would watch her back during a mission…

"…damn…" She whispered and Ibiki nodded.

"Most of your information is now useless to us. You cannot buy your freedom by informing on one who is dead."

Kin felt herself greying out in panic and forced herself to pay attention.

"You have no _Kekkei Genkai_ to barter with, no treasures to use as bribes."

"What… are you going to do with me…?" Kin whimpered and Ibiki stepped aside to reveal two people, a blond male and a black-haired female.

"You have a choice." Ibiki said from behind Kin, where she couldn't see him. "You can have your chakra sealed and be cast into prison, or you can have a loyalty _genjutsu_ implanted in your subconscious and become a provisional Konoha shinobi, although you will be required to divulge _all_ your techniques."

"At least you're giving me a choice." Kin sighed. "I'll take the _genjutsu_."

"Then just relax." The blond man said, reaching out to place one heand on her forehead as the woman began to make a long, complex series of hand-seals.

"Will I still be… me?" Kin whispered and the man nodded.

"You will. All that will change will be your loyalty. You have my word."

Kin nodded slightly, then she closed her eyes as the world began to spin away.

.

" **Uncle Gamamaru?"**

" **Hello, Kurama-kun."** Gamamaru said, reaching between the bars to tousle Kurama's forehead-fur.

" **It's been so long…"** Kurama whispered. **"I've missed you… how's tadpole?"**

" **If Gamabunta hears you still call him that…"** Gamamaru chuckled while Naruto simply gaped in shock from behind him. **"He's doing well, he's become quite the leader."**

Kurama reached up and took Gamamaru's paw in his own. For a long moment, the giant fox and the slightly-smaller toad simply stared silently at each other, then Kurama's gaze settled on Naruto.

" **What's my jailor doing here? And why?"**

" **Because it was necessary."** Gamamaru replied calmly. **"Give me a moment…"**

Naruto thought that he must have blinked or something since suddenly Gamamaru was holding two large pieces of parchment, a writing brush and a bottle of ink. Putting them down, he drew a complex seal on one piece, a seal that looked like it was not only moving, but somehow existing in more dimensions than actually existed, then he raised the seal to the paper tag holding the gates closed. The seal writhed, then almost exploded outwards, forming a complex pattern of moving lines, rings and orbiting runes with two golden orbs floating near the middle.

" **Interesting…"** Gamamaru mused, leaning forwards to examine one of the orbs. **"And it gives me an idea, but you will have to become a Sage before you can use it, Naruto."**

"Like Jiraiya?"

Gamamaru nodded as he picked up the writing brush again. Once more, it danced across parchment, leaving a trail of ink that occasionally rose off the page or seemed to sink below it without actually emerging from the other side.

" **Father was right…"** Kurama breathed in awe. **"You** _ **are**_ **the greatest at fuuinjutsu."**

" **I dabble."** Gamamaru chuckled as he finished the seal which promptly glowed before expanding into light just like the first seal. **"Now, Naruto, your knowledge of** _ **Kage Bunshin**_ **is the thing that allows me to do this."**

"Is this going to screw up my chakra control again?" Naruto asked suspiciously, causing the aged Toad to laugh.

.

* * *

.

" _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" Hinata called out and two copies of her appeared, one on each side. Pausing for a moment, Hinata held out her hands for her clones to hold, then all three of them vanished in a pulse of golden light, reappearing on the training ground used by Team Eight.

"Amazing." Kurenai breathed as the two clones dispelled, leaving Hinata to catch her breath. "Well done!"

"Thank… you, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata panted as she recovered from the exertion. "I don't think I'll be… up to transporting… other people for a while, though. It's quite… draining…"

"Although it is a viable _strategic_ advantage, the tactical capabilities that your capabilities present are, unfortunately, rather limited compared to those of your fiancee." Shino offered, causing Kiba to give him a _look_.

"And that means…?"

"It isn't very useful for most of the things we do." Hinata offered and Shino nodded in confirmation.

"Well, for now, we have a meeting to get to." Kurenai said after a long moment.

"Yeah, let's go!" Kiba shouted as he bounded ahead, then he paused. "Um, _where_ are we going?"

.

* * *

.

"By my father, it feels so _good_ to be out again!"

Gamamaru smiled at the waist-high multi-tailed fox jumping around excitedly.

" **It is good to have you around once more, little kit."**

"Huh?" Kurama paused in his gambolling to stare quizzically at the Toad Elder, then his gaze snapped to Naruto, who was failing to hide a grin.

"I never did that." He declared, sitting down and wrapping his tails around his paws. "You never saw me do that. I'm too dignified to jump around like a small kit. You can't prove anything."

Gamamaru shook with suppressed laughter and Kurama sulked.

"Stop laughing."

Naruto turned away in an attempt to hide the fact that he was almost about to fall over laughing.

It was truly amazing what learning a new type of clone technique and an hour or two with an old Toad could achieve.

.

* * *

.

Orochimaru swept out of the ritual room, leaving the comatose form of Tatuya lying unattended in the middle of the floor, the area where her Curse Mark had once been now showing only inflamed but otherwise unmarked skin.

"Welcome back, sir." Kabuto smiled. "I am glad that it worked."

"I'll need a new member for the Sound Four, but other than that, I think things went… not quite as badly as they could have done." Orochimaru said as he donned the Kimono that Kabuto had handed him. "Going up against a dozen copies of my old teacher and his pet summon was certainly rather… unexpected. If you add that brat's _Hiraishin_ to that… come."

Kabuto followed his master down several long corridors, then they stopped at a large vault door. Orochimaru reached out and carefully tapped several portions of the seal engraved into its face, then stepped back as the vault door rolled to one side.

"My trophy chamber." Orochimaru explained as he led the way inside. "Over there, the bow of Otsusuki Hamura, a bow which forms arrows of pure chakra, although the cost is quite high. Here is the hilt from Senju Tobirama's sword. Note the seal on the pommel, it let him summon it to his hand whenever he wanted. Although I cannot say for certain, I believe he used the same seal as the basis for the _Hiraishin_ , the technique that my team-mate's student improved and became known for. And here we are… the ring."

Kabuto stared at the displayed item. Inside a glass jar was a severed hand with a ring adorning the little finger, a ring which had the kanji for _void_ inscribed on it.

"It has been a long time since I last used this." Orochimaru mused as he lifted the jar. "But now that I am aware of the threat that the Yondaime's son poses, it is time to bring him to the attention of those more likely to be able to counter his abilities."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow in query as Orochimaru removed the ring from the severed hand and put it on his own little finger. A moment later, Orochimaru seemed to be surrounded by tiny chakra distortions.

.

Orochimaru looked around, his gaze taking in the dark cave and the stone pillars upon one of which his chakra-projection stood. A moment later, another chakra silhouette appeared, its eyes bearing a series of concentric rings.

The _Rin'negan_.

"Orochimaru." The new figure stated, displeasure infusing its voice.

"Lord Pein." Orochimaru replied with a slight smirk. "I come bearing word of a grave threat to your plans. You will find it extremely difficult to capture the Kyuubi because the host has learned the _Hiraishin_."

Pein froze for a long moment. "Are you… certain of this?"

"I witnessed it with my own eyes." Orochimaru replied. "He was able to use the _Hiraishin_ the same way that his father had. I had already known about him using it in conjunction with his clones, the Hokage Guard version, but now he can do it _on his own_."

"This is… troubling." Pein slowly mused. "Why have you come to me with this?"

"He can duplicate others as well." Orochimaru continued, ignoring the question. "He duplicated my old teacher… I found myself facing over a _dozen_ Sarutobi Hiruzens at their full strength. Even by using _Edo Tensei_ to bring back the first two Hokages and bind them to my will, I was overwhelmed."

"You… have perfected the _Edo Tensei_?" Pein asked almost eagerly and Orochimaru nodded. "Then perhaps between the information you have provided and the abilities you have, I may yet be persuaded to allow you to rejoin our ranks."

Orochimaru smirked triumphantly.


	46. A Chunin And His Team

Hinata paused in the doorway, staring incredulously at the sight before her. Naruto smirked in amusement as his fiancee rubbed her eyes, stared again and then activated her _byakugan_ in order to ensure that she wasn't caught up in a _genjutsu_.

"Naruto." She said after a long moment. "Why is a giant fox playing Shogi with Shikamaru?"

"Because this damned ape keeps beating me and I am going to win if it's the _last_ thing I do." Kurama snarled, reaching out to move a piece. "Check!"

Shikamaru lazily moved one of his pieces and Kurama started growling what sounded almost like a stream of swear-words.

"…naruto?"

"The Sage of Six Paths used to play Shogi and taught all of the Biju how to play as well." Naruto said as his clone placed a cup and an odd container of fruit squash on the table. Kurama picked up the container and used the spout-like side to take several gulps before putting it down and moving one of his own pieces. Shikamaru frowned, his hands moving so that the fingers formed a rectangle.

"Oh." Hinata said in a too-calm voice. "And… why is _Shikamaru_ playing Shogi with a giant fox?"

"He's one of the best opponents I've met who isn't from my clan." Shikamaru said, reaching out to place a piece on the board. "Remind me to take you to meet my father, I think he'll be interested in your playing style as well."

Kurama smirked as he moved a piece, then snarled as Shikamaru instantly countered his tactic.

"They've been playing for over an hour." Naruto commented, placing a cup of fruit squash into Hinata's hand. "Oh, Shikamaru told me about the problem with the rearrangement of teams, but he refused to give me any details as he said that you had an idea that you wanted to run past me."

Hinata nodded, her eyes not leaving the now-fast-moving Shogi game.

"I don't know if you heard, but Sakura captured an Oto-nin…"

"Tsuchi Kin. The _genjutsu_ expert who took out Lee with a single senbon." Naruto supplied.

"Kurenai-sensei and Yamanaka-sama used a special collaboration technique on her, _with_ her permission, to permanently change her allegiance from Oto to Konoha." Hinata continued. "Although they believe that it was successful, she will need to be placed under a Jonin-Sensei for observation in case anything went wrong."

"And that's where I come in." Kakashi stated from the doorway. "Odd, I don't remember seeing a fox of that size before."

"He's complicated." Naruto sighed over Kurama's triumphant growl as Shikamaru redeployed to counter the unexpected flanking attack. "I'll explain later."

"Anyway." Kakashi said, staring at the odd scene. "We came up with an interesting concept, but it needs your okay for it to work. With three genin being promoted to chunin and six of the nine… excluding team ten, now being part of incomplete teams since Sasuke has joined ANBU, we decided a switch around was a good idea."

"Team ten is remaining as we are." Shikamaru supplied as Kurama's ears flattened in horror at the way his defenses had just been shattered by a single move.

"The idea was mine…" Hinata said quietly and Kakashi nodded.

"Kurenai will be taking Tsuchi Kin into her team, which will consist of Kin, Kiba and Tobio. Sakura is moving to Gai's team to replace Tenten where he will aid her in improving her physical abilities while her Iryonin training will prove invaluable for helping Lee and Gai whenever they over-train… which is quite often. Hinata asked for a special assignment, since she can now perform the _Kage Bunshin_ version of the _Hiraishin_ …"

Naruto grinned as he caught Hinata in a big hug. As Kakashi caught the dropped cup without spilling a drop, Naruto spun Hinata round.

"You wanted to join me?"

"I've been getting lessons in the _Hokage Guard Hiraishin_ technique as well." Kakashi supplied. "With me along, you can now do B-ranked missions, or even A-ranked with the proper preparation. If you'll accept me, of course."

Naruto nodded slowly. "It would be an honor to have the only surviving student of my father as leader."

"Check-mate."

"Damn it! How did a hairless ape like you… _again_!"

"Sorry." Shikamaru sighed as he started putting the pieces away. "I have a meeting to get to, but if you want to challenge my _father_ to a game…"

Kurama spun to face Naruto.

"Can I have a chakra boost? If I'm going to try and beat the one who taught _him_ how to play, I need to last long enough to get through the match."

"What?" Kakashi asked again and Naruto replied as he placed his hand on Kurama's shoulder.

"It's a summoning-inspired variant of _Kage Bunshin_ using Kurama's chakra, a technique created by the Great Toad Sage himself. It also connects Kurama's consciousness to the clone for as long as it lasts, so he experiences everything in real-time rather than just getting the memories later. As the conduit for the technique, I am aware, generally speaking, of what Kurama is experiencing and can cancel the technique if I feel I need to."

"Hang on…" Kakashi gasped. "You've cloned the _Kyuubi_?"

"Okay, I'm full." Kurama announced, then he glanced at Shikamaru. "Let's go."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as he followed Kurama out of the door.

"That… was surreal." Kakashi finally stated.

"So, why exactly _is_ Kurenai taking this Kin into her team?" Naruto asked after a long moment.

"Kuranai was intrigued by Kin's use of audio _genjutsu_." Kakashi supplied, his visible eye still fixed on the point where the path vanished into the trees. "Although it would be possible to effectively reverse-engineer it just from her observations, having access to the source means that it'll take weeks rather than years to create an entirely new library of techniques."

Naruto nodded in understanding, then he grinned. "By the way, did my other idea pan out?"

"All Jonin on a mission outside the city have been ordered to carry a tagged kunai so they can call for reinforcements if needed." Kakashi nodded. "That's part of the reason that I learned the Guard version of Sensei's technique."

"You provide the high-accuracy heavy hitting, I provide the distraction and general mayhem with clones and Hinata tells us both where we need to be." Naruto grinned.

"That's… disturbingly close to how I envisioned the roles." Kakashi admitted. "You really did deserve that vest."

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said and Kakashi blinked as his vision seemed to blur.

"So." Naruto said after a long moment, "Do we have any missions lined up? And am I still an independent chunin or am I now… is there such a thing as an elite chunin?"

"The next mission will be tomorrow." Kakashi said. "I don't know if you noticed, but Jiraiya left yesterday, taking a _Hiraishin_ Kunai with him. He said he'd probably use it the day after tomorrow to summon us to where he is in order to help him on his mission."

"What is his mission?" Hinata asked curiously and Kakashi gave them an eye-smile even as he handed Hinata her drink back.

"Why, we're going to be bringing back the last of the Sannin…"

.

"Hey, old man!" Naruto called out in greeting as he and Hinata sat down on adjacent stools. "Two bowls of ramen, one miso and one beef! Oh, and two fruit squashes please."

"Hey, Naruto! Been a few days." Teuchi chuckled from the kitchen. "I was starting to think you'd found another ramen supplier or something."

"Never!" Naruto gasped while Hinata smiled in amusement. "Ichiraku's Ramen is food worthy of the gods!"

"And those ingredients you're bringing in really help." Ayame noted as she moved to place the two cups of diluted fruit juice on the counter in front of the pair. "You can't really get fresher than almost straight from the sea."

Hinata gave Naruto a questioning look and he chuckled self-consciously.

"You know the agreement I have with Kiba?" He asked and Hinata nodded. "I realized that it was a good way of earning money, so I made several deals with some merchants in Wave. I pop over there twice a week and bring back several large boxes of stuff to sell on…"

"Naruto's good at finding unexpected ways to use his skills." Teuchi noted as he stirred the steaming pot carefully. "He's studying under several of us shopkeepers and when things get really busy, I can hire him to provide some clones to help with the food preparation and serving."

Hinata nodded. "I see. Naruto, that's very clever."

"Thanks, Hime." Naruto smiled. "But since I have a house to run and lessons to pay for, I needed to find ways of getting more money so I could become better. Considering my starting point…"

Naruto trailed off with a shrug.

"Here we are." Ayame said, sliding the two bowls onto the counter and handing over two pairs of chopsticks. "Enjoy."

"Itadakimasu!"

.

* * *

.

"Ah, hello there." Kakashi smiled as Naruto and Hinata appeared in a flash of light. "Hmmm, am I mistaken, or have you managed to learn your father's version of _Hiraishin_?"

"I have." Naruto smiled, then his face fell. "But my clones dispel when they do it, which means that I can't simply give Hinata the memories of how to do it like I did with the Guard _Hiraishin_. Add to that the fact that I'm _still_ not certain exactly _how_ I made the final step and even if I did, I'm not sure how I'd describe it so others can use it…"

"Well, at least I know how to perform the Guard version." Kakashi shrugged. "But the fact that you managed to make the final… _heh_ , jump means that the technique isn't lost and can be taught… or at least learn…"

Kakashi stopped, his head tilted slightly. "Did… anyone else _feel_ that?"

"Jiraiya." Naruto nodded, holding out his hands. Hinata took his left hand with the unconscious ease of long familiarity while Kakashi moved to complete the circle.

"Okay." Naruto said. "Let's take this slow, we need to harmonize for this…"

.

A flash of light heralded the arrival of the trio and on one side of the clearing where he was lounging oalong a low-hanging branch, Jiraiya grunted.

"Took you long enough. What kept you?"

Naruto picked up the kunai from where it had been thrown into the ground and reversed his grip on it, holding it up for Jiraiya to take.

"My fault." Kakashi said with a slight shrug. "Harmonizing my chakra took several attempts… it's not something I can use my _sharingan_ to help with…"

"Speaking of, how's whatsisname doing in ANBU?" Jiraiya asked as he tucked the tri-blade kunai away.

"Sasuke?"Kakashi asked. "Um, pretty good, I think. He's getting regular therapy sessions with Inoichi though. Apparently something is _off_ with his memory of what happened to his clan…"

"Even _I_ know that whatever happened was screwy." Jiraiya agreed as he rolled off the branch and landed on his feet. "Sensei didn't order the massacre, he was actually hoping to train Itachi up as the Godaime. The Massacre happened barely two days before he planned to spring the apprenticeship on Itachi… he was _furious_ with Danzo and the two fossils, but with the loss of virtually the entire Uchiha clan, he couldn't afford to show any sign of disunity where the other villages could see. If he had…"

"The Fourth Great Shinobi War." Naruto half-whispered. "Damn."

"Did you wonder why Danzo is rarely seen in public?" Jiraiya asked as he started to walk out of the clearing. "Sensei told him back then that he didn't want to see him for at least three years. He only re-emerged from whatever hole he had crawled into _after_ your graduation. Good thing you did, by the way. If you'd remained a civilian, there was a petition gaining ground to have you exiled with the threat of the major trading clans withdrawing from Konoha if you weren't. That would have crippled Konoha's economy."

"Then… why didn't they do that?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Civilians aren't allowed to interfere with Shinobi matters." Kakashi supplied as they made their way through the woods. "The reverse isn't true, though, for obvious reasons."

"Apparently _someone_ was behind the petition." Jiraiya added. "A Shinobi, but I've been unable to find out who. I'm still searching, but the trail seemed to lead to the Land of Rice Paddies and Orochimaru… Kamis only know what they wanted with you…"

"Father or burden, most likely." Naruto mused as they exited the forest and paused at the top of a hill overlooking a small city. "Where are we?"

"Tanzuka Quarters." Jiraiya smirked. "And somewhere in there is Tsunade."

"So… how will we find her?" Hinata asked.


	47. A Chunin And Two Sannin

"This place is _totally_ different from Konoha." Naruto stated as the quartet of shinobi wended their way through the crowds. "I've barely seen any shinobi and only one was roof-hopping."

"Tanzaku Quarters is renowned for its artists and authors." Jiraiya commented as he paused for a long moment to look round for a moment. "You know, I was thinking about getting a small house here… maybe with a couple of scantily-clad maids to-oooooh… you know what? Let's just find Tsunade, shall we?"

Naruto gave Jiraiya a confused look, then his gaze slid to where Hinata was looking far more innocent than he had ever seen her looking before.

"What did you…? No, I probably don't want to know."

Hinata somehow managed to look even more innocent at Naruto's abortive question.

"So, how do we find Tsunade?"

"Well, she's a blond woman with big… _ahem_ , and a blue diamond tattoo on her forehead." Jiraiya said. "She travels with her assistant Shizune and their pet pig, Tonton."

"Then that's probably them in the inn three streets that way." Hinata said, her _byakugan_ active and Jiraiya whistled.

"Okay, that is a _very_ handy skill to have. Please, lead the way and we'll be right behind you."

Hinata caught Naruto's hand and pulled him forwards to lead the group with her, causing Kakashi to chuckle slightly.

.

"There he is."

"Interesting. I recognize the old man with him and the girl has to be the Hyuuga, but who is the other one?"

"Hatake Kakashi, former sensei of Team Seven before it was dissolved."

"…interesting. Let us rejoin our partners and plan our attack."

.

"Hey, Tsunade!" Jiraiya shouted as he barged into the inn. "Good to see you again!"

"Jiraiya." The blond woman growled as she lowered her Sake dish. " _What_ are you doing here?"

"Is that how you treat your only-remaining team-mate?" Jiraiya mock-mourned, earning a shocked glance. "Yep, Sensei killed Orochi a week ago. Nothing left but some spatters which he burned. The Sannin are down to _two_."

Tsunade stared at him, unmoving and Jiraiya waved his hand in front of her face.

"Is something wrong with her?" Naruto asked and the dark-haired woman sat next to Tsunade stirred.

"It's just… how?"

"I helped." Naruto said, earning a disbelieving look. "I did! It's how I earned this vest!"

"Naruto-kun used a special _hijutsu_ to duplicate Hokage-sama, allowing him… _them_ to deal with the Snake Sannin." Hinata supplied softly. "The technique created a dozen Sandaimes at full power."

"…the hell?" Tsunade finally asked, seeming to drop out of her shocked state. "What sort of _hijutsu_ can do that? The closest I can think of is the _Kage Bunshin_ and that requires the user to split off a portion of their chakra for each clone…"

"It's related to the _Kage Bunshin_ , but you need _huge_ chakra reserves to use it… hey!"

Tsunade grabbed his wrist and frowned as green medical chakra briefly flickered around her hand, then she released him.

"That's a _lot_ of chakra." She said, sounding shaken. "More than even you, Jiraiya."

"Yeah, I know." Jiraiya agreed. "I've read his file and talked to the Toads about how they helped to boost him further. Plus, there's his heritage."

Tsunade raised a quizzical eyebrow and Jiraiya face-palmed.

"Dammit, I haven't introduced them to you, have I? Senju Tsunade, Shizune… Tonton… Allow me to introduce the student of my student, Jonin Hatake Kakashi, Chunin Uzumaki Naruto and Genin Hyuuga Hinata."

"A Sage, a Jonin, a Chunin and a Genin?" Tsunade scoffed. "All you need now is a Kage and you'll have all the ranks represented."

"You forgot a Special Jonin and a Student." Naruto said, earning a long glare from the female Sannin that stopped as soon as Tsunade noticed that Hinata was glaring at _her_.

"What?" Tsunade asked as Jiraiya sniggered.

"Sorry. Sorry." Jiraiya gasped as he brought himself back under control. "Hinata's very possessive… sorry, _protective_ about Naruto. Not surprising, really. They've found a way of swapping thoughts that _isn't_ a Yamanaka technique."

Tsunade stared at Jiraiya and he gave a small shrug, then pulled out a small scroll. Rolling it across the table, he motioned for Tsunade to open it.

"Senju Tsunade." Jiraiya said formally as Tsunade stared at the scroll as if it had turned into a rabid chipmunk that was threatening to attack her. "By order of the Sandaime Hokage, your self-imposed exile is ended. You are required to return to Konoha within a week… or you will be declared to be a nukenin and lose Konoha's protection. Of course if that happens, I'd be _happy_ to give you _my_ protection…"

Half a second later, the wall exploded outwards as the Toad Sage was sent flying by a backhanded punch delivered by an enraged blond Iryonin.

.

* * *

.

"Fuck!" Onoki growled and by the door, Akasuchi looked at him in worry.

"Sir?"

"You remember that group with a name similar to yours that I've been hiring for the more… _deniable_ operations?" Onoki asked almost rhetorically. "Well, my son-in-law's recovered enough to give a full debriefing about everything he could find out about them. Their leader has what can only be the _rin'negan_!"

"What?!" Akatsuchi gasped in shock. "Is he certain?"

"It gets worse." Onoki growled. "Confirmed members of the Akatsuki group include Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame, Sasori and my former pupil Deidara! _Deidara_! If I'd known, I'd _never_ have hired them!"

.

* * *

.

"Pervy sage, you feeling better yet?" Naruto asked as Hinata held a green-glowing hand over one of Jiraiya's wounds, moving her hand slightly in response to Shizune's directions.

"He deserved it." Tsunade sulked from her chair in the corner of the hotel room.

"Yep." Jiraiya agreed cheerfully. "Sure did. But it worked, you're sober now. Nothing like a good fight to burn off the alcohol… _ow_!"

"Sorry!" Hinata apologized as Shizune moved to take a closer look.

"It's okay, just a bone fragment moving back into position." She declared after running her own analysis jutsu on Jiraiya's torso. "Relax, Jiraiya-san. You'll be back to almost full strength very soon."

"Good." Jiraiya smiled, then he frowned. "Anyone pick up the scroll or is it still in the inn?"

"I've got it." Naruto said, holding up the rolled-up document.

"Fine. Give me the damned scroll." Tsunade grumped and Naruto held it out. Tsunade grabbed it from his hand, unrolled it and frowned.

"…the hell?"

"What?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

"I don't understand this." Tsunade complained as she unrolled the short scroll, then turned it round to check the back in case anything had been written there. "What does ' _I need to talk to her personally. Come and get me_ ' mean?"

Naruto blinked, then he grinned and vanished in a flash of light. Tsunade stared at the empty space, then Naruto and two clones flashed into existence, surrounding a very familiar robed figure.

"Sensei!" Tsunade gasped as Hiruzen stepped forwards, holding his arms out. Tsunade's eyes filled with tears and she almost threw herself into the Hokage's arms, letting him hug her as she burst into tears.

"How's Pervy Sage?" Naruto whispered.

"I've done all I can, why?"

"I think we should leave them alone for a while." Naruto replied, glancing at Kakashi, Shizune and Jiraiya, who all nodded in agreement. "Come on."

The group left the Hokage and his crying student behind as they silently slipped out of the room and made their way downstairs to the small bar. As Jiraiya ordered a round of drinks, the other four moved to claim one of the few tables available.

"So…" Naruto started, then he sagged. "I have _no_ idea how to start this conversation. Kakashi? Hinata?"

"So, how's the princess been over the last few years?" Jiraiya asked as he sat down, sliding beakers of watered fruit juice to Hinata and Naruto, then pouring out small saucers of Sake for himself, Kakashi and Shizune. Shizune shrugged as she took the proffered saucer.

"Doing some healing to raise funds, keeping _just_ ahead of the debt collectors… but I'm sure that your spies have been reporting virtually everything we've done to you."

"True." Jiraiya confirmed with no trace of embarrassment.

"So… back to Konoha?" Shizune asked with a wistful smile. "It's been years since I was last there. Why does Hiruzen-sama want Tsunade back? Is he getting sick? He looked okay…"

"Sensei wants to retire." Jiraiya said and Shizune stared at him in shock. "I'm too busy trying to keep Konoha safe from outside threats… even if my sources did drop the kunai regarding the Finals. Of the other candidates, Kakashi has the skills, but not the drive. Asuma hates politicking due to his time in the Daimyo's court as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, Maito Gai…"

Jiraiya and Kakashi both shuddered.

"Danzo is too much of a Warhawk to be considered and he hid away during the Finals… although we can't prove anything, we think he knew it was going to happen." Jiraiya continued. "Hyuuga Hiashi _is_ a possibility due to his experience as a Clan Head, but since you can't be Hokage _and_ Clan Head, he'd need to find a replacement and there aren't that many potential leaders in that clan."

Hinata stared in shock at Jiraiya. "Tou-san is one of the Godaime candidates?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The last candidate is one very few suspected, Umino Iruka."

"No way!" Naruto gasped. "Iruka-sensei?"

"He's one of the best teachers at the Academy." Jiraiya noted. "He's also ex-ANBU and when he was younger, he helped with several missions vital to the security of Konoha, missions he's never talked about. He knows _how_ Konoha works and where quite a few political bodies are buried. On the downside, he hates being in a position where he has to choose who to sacrifice for the mission, which is why he became a Teacher."

"The more I hear about Iruka-sensei, the more badass he becomes." Naruto marvelled and Hinata nodded in agreement.

"I think that Sensei will convince Tsunade to take the Hat." Jiraiya said between sips of his Sake.

"…I don't think I could call Iruka ' _Old Man_ ' if he took the Hat." Naruto mused, causing Hinata to giggle and Kakashi to eye-smile.

"By the way, just _how_ are you drinking that through your mask?" Naruto asked Kakashi curiously.

"It's an ANBU trick." Kakashi evaded. "I did teach it to Sasuke, though."

"How's he settling in?" Naruto asked and Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at him.

"He's still going through the integration protocols." Kakashi stated. "It'll be another couple of weeks at least before he goes back into the field… then there's finding a partner for him since ANBU always deploy in pairs… or multiples thereof."

"He did seem rather quiet during the meal… had he been told about the possibility of him joining ANBU?" Hinata asked, earning a respectful nod.

"He had." Kakashi confirmed. "He was considering the pros and cons. He was listening, though."

"Okay." Naruto replied. "So what do we do now?"

.

"So, Lord Pein, what do we do now?" Orochimaru asked as he twitched his newly-bestowed black-with-red-clouds cloak into a more comfortable position. Beside him, a teenager stood, his right eye a red _Sharingan_ , something that was earning the occasional glare from Itachi, who was standing beside the hulking form of Kisame. Before the four Shinobi stood six men, all of whom boasted facial piercings and eyes with the characteristic ripple pattern of the _rin'negan_.

"We shall move in at dusk." The foremost man decided. "Itachi, you and Kisame will enter through the back, keep a low profile and be ready to block them should they try to retreat. Orochimaru, you and Shin enter through the front. Get their attention and pull them onto the street, since they believe you deceased, it should not be difficult. I shall be waiting."

The four Shinobi vanished, leaving the six Paths of Pein standing on the rooftop, looking in different directions.

.

"…soon…" The emaciated man in the crab-like life-support chair croaked in a clearing several miles from where the six who had the same eyes as him stood. "…soon we shall start to collect the Biju… and we will bring peace to the world…"

"As you say." The woman standing just behind him agreed, her expression calm, but with an undertone of long-suppressed sorrow. "As you say…"


	48. A Chunin Endangered

"They've certainly been talking for a while." Naruto said as he accepted another card.

"Hime and Sensei have a lot of catching up to do." Jiraiya shrugged as he gazed at his own hand. "Call. Full house, nines and threes."

"Three of a kind, sevens." Hinata sighed as she put her cards down.

"Do I get a bonus for having a totally random hand?" Kakashi half-joked as he put down his cards, none of which were anything resembling useful.

"Two pairs, fives and eights." Shizune said, showing her hand.

"Two pairs as well. Aces…" Naruto said, putting down two of the cards, "and aces."

Jiraiya groaned. " _How_? You haven't lost a single hand! I _know_ you aren't cheating, I've been watching, so… how?"

"At least we're not playing for money." Shizune pointed out.

Naruto shrugged, hiding a smile.

"Maybe we should order some food." Kakashi suggested, glancing at the window. "It looks like it's about to get dark… some rooms as well, or are we going back to Konoha?"

"Interesting thought." Jiraiya mused, glancing at Naruto. "That skill of yours really changes things. I think I should hire the rooms, though. Tsunade may not want to head back at once and if the rest of us go back without her, she may change her mind and try to sneak away."

Shizune gave Jiraiya a _look_ and he shrugged helplessly. "What? She's been running for over a decade. Sensei's good at persuading people to see things his way, but people don't change their habits that quickly without some sort of _physical_ reason."

Jiraiya turned to Kakashi for support, only to blink at the sight of the empty chair where Kakashi had been sitting. A quick glance round showed the cyclopean shinobi to be at the bar, handing a small roll of money over to the grinning barkeep.

"Huh. Kid pulled a ninja vanish on _me_." Jiraiya said, his voice a curious mix of pride, awe and embarrassment. "Haven't had _that_ happen for a long time. I must be getting old."

"How old are you?" Naruto asked before he could stop himself and Jiraiya chuckled.

"Old enough to be a legend, kid."

"He's fifty." A new voice said and Jiraiya pouted at Tsunade as she walked across to join them at the table while Hiruzen moved to join Kakashi at the bar.

"You know we were in the same class, right Hime?" Jiraiya pointed out and Tsunade shrugged as Kakashi and Hiruzen rejoined them.

"As much as I'd love to stay, the amount of damned paperwork still on my desk means that I need to get back." Hiruzen said. "Naruto, if you would?"

Three clones popped into existence behind Naruto as Hiruzen patted Tsunade on her shoulder.

"I'll see you again soon, Tsunade-chan."

"Okay… sensei." Tsunade agreed with a smile. "Just look after yourself until I get back. You've strained yourself enough already."

"But I'll soon have the best medic-nin in the Elemental Nations helping me." Hiruzen countered as the trio of clones took position around him. "See you soon, my student."

"Soon, Sensei." Tsunade whispered as Hiruzen vanished in a flash of light.

"So, who's for Sake?" Kakashi asked, breaking the mood and earning a glare from Tsunade.

"Sounds good to me." A voice said from the door and Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade and Jiraiya all stared in shock at the cloaked man who had just entered the room and lifted the woven hat enough to expose his face.

"…Orochimaru…" Jiraiya choked. "But… but Sensei _killed_ you!"

"It _was_ rather painful." Orochimaru agreed with a smirk as he stepped forwards to allow a second cloaked figure to enter. "But I had a few backup plans in place… after all, you should both know how well I plan."

"When you can actually be bothered to put your mind to it." Jiraiya riposted even as Naruto used the distraction to look round. The back door was already occupied by two more figures in the black-cloaks-with-red-clouds that Orochimaru was wearing.

"We're surrounded." Naruto whispered and Kakashi gave a tiny nod.

"We're outnumbered." Hinata added, her _byakugan_ active. "There are six more of them lining the roof… their chakra is… they share the same chakra… what _are_ they?"

"What do you _see_?" Naruto asked as he shifted position slightly, allowing his Haori to dangle freely, thus giving him easy access to his shuriken.

"Their chakra, it… it's radiating out from bits of metal in their bodies and… and it also leads away… north!"

"I think that's enough." Orochimaru stated, his smile vanishing. "Lord Pein will be annoyed at you… although I do thank you for the information. I wasn't aware until now that he was using a technique like Sasori's."

A cough from the back interrupted his ruminations and Orochimaru nodded.

"I quite agree, Itachi, it's time to get things moving. Lord Pein only wants the _Jinchuuriki_ , so Naruto, if you surrender, you have my word that we'll let the others leave unhurt. How about it, you wouldn't want your fiancee to get injured, or even killed, would you?"

Hinata's eyebrows lowered into a frown.

"You aren't taking my snuggly away."

Orochimaru looked somewhat taken aback by the sheer determination infusing Hinata's voice but Naruto smirked.

"I think that I'll be able to escape, Hinata."

"No, you won't." Jiraiya stated, pointing to Orochimaru's companion, who had produced a syringe filled with an odd-colored liquid. "They'll keep you unconscious until it's time to do whatever they want to do."

"…something's wrong." Naruto stated, his voice filled with sudden worry. "I can't get a lock on the tags… something's blocking me…"

"One of the ones on the roof is doing it." Hinata ground out. "I can _see_ the effect it's having."

"Then we have our primary target." Jiraiya stated. "Which one is it?"

"Currently the middle one." Hinata supplied and Jiraiya grinned, pulling out a large roll of ryo and throwing it behind the bar.

"That should cover the damage." He said. "Tsunade, skylight, please."

Orochimaru's eyes widened in shocked recognition and he opened his mouth to shout a warning, but Tsunade was already in motion, grabbing the table and hurling it straight up through the ceiling, Jiraiya leaping up after it so quickly that he was almost within touching range, leaving behind a shout of _"Kuchyose no Jutsu_!"

Even as Itachi and his companion pushed their way in through the back door, Naruto grabbed Kakashi's hand. An instant later, the room was filled with clones of both Naruto and Kakashi, the latter of whom blinked in shock before, in unison, raising their _Hitai-ate_ s to expose their three-tomoe sharingans.

"Why am I suddenly having flashbacks?" Orochimaru grumbled as he dived out of the way of a trio of attacks, then another blast of smoke marked the appearance of a dozen more clones, this time clones of Naruto and Hinata.

"Heh, this is fun!" Itachi's companion laughed as he pulled out a huge, bandage-wrapped sword and used it to flatten and dispel a couple of the Naruto-clones. Orochimaru's companion flung open his cloak and shed his hat to reveal that he had several more Sharingan embedded in his skull and one on each arm.

"That is just wrong." One of Naruto's clones stated before a fist wreathed in electricity dispelled it.

"You should see the arm of my secret ally." Orochimaru grinned before a snake emerged from his mouth and extruded a sword that fell into his hand. "You know, I can't use my skills to their fullest extent since I need to take you alive, but they never mentioned how many limbs you were supposed to have…"

.

Jiraiya landed on the rooftop even as two clouds of smoke marked the successful summoning of his chosen allies.

" _ **Both**_ **of us, Jiraiya-kun?"** Fukasaku asked. **"Habit?"**

"One of these can absorb chakra." Jiraiya stated as the red markings under his eyes began to expand. "Let's see how it does with _Sage_ cha… Yahiko?"

"Yahiko is dead, there is only _Pein_." The figure thus addressed responded.

"Wait… Hinata said the bodies were being controlled… and those eyes… Nagato?"

"Hello… _Sensei_."

"Nagato." Jiraiya repeated, this time in shock. "I heard that Hanzo had killed you all… I was on my way back with reinforcements when I got the message… is Konan still alive?"

"…she is."

"Nagato, it isn't too late." Jiraiya pleaded. "You don't have to do this!"

"No, I do." Nagato stated through Yahiko's body. "Farewell, _Sensei_. _Shinra Tensei_!"

.

"The hell?" The blue-skinned man gasped as his strike was blocked by a pair of crossed Kunai held by Tsunade. An instant later, she stamped as hard on the floor as she could, causing a plank to sharply rise.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

"Kisame!" Itachi shouted as he disengaged from the quartet of Kakashis he was fighting and moved to counter Tsunade's follow-up strike. "What happened?"

"…ow…" Kisame whimpered as he lay on the floor, curled up in a tight ball of pain. "That really fucking _hurts_ …"

"Shit!" Orochimaru's companion yelped as he barely avoided a trio of strikes delivered by three Hinatas who were working together in perfect harmony. "Boss!"

"Little busy here, Shin!" Orochimaru called back as he frantically dodged a quartet of _Rasengans_ before diving to avoid a _chidori_. "These clones are quite aggravating!"

"I know!" Shin yelled back as he rolled to avoid a shuriken barrage, only to come face-to-face with another Kakashi. "Shit!"

"I thought that you'd slacked off!" Orochimaru growled as he countered another Kakashi-clone. "You're almost back up to how you'd been at your peak! How?"

"I took a long look at myself." Kakashi replied as he dodged Orochimaru's blade. "Naruto inspired me."

.

"Why, Nagato?" Jiraiya yelled as he delivered an axe-kick at the figure that had shed its cloak to reveal six arms with odd metallic lines on them. "Why are you doing this? What do you hope to achieve?"

"I am no longer Nagato!" Three of the Paths chorused in one voice. "I am Pein and only through pain can peace be finally achieved. If you will not stand with me, then you are my enemy."

Jiraiya ducked underneath a blast of energy that issued from the mechanized Path's hand, then did a backwards somersault kick that seemed to miss, but nevertheless sent the augmented enemy flying, crashing into the same hole that had been made by the Path that Jiraiya had substituted with after he had been sent flying by Pein's first attack.

"Nagato, you have no idea how much this hurts me." He grumbled as he delivered another _senjutsu_ -enhanced strike that send the animated corpse of his former student flying. "Now, which of you was the one blocking Naruto?"

"It's _that_ one!" A clone of Hinata shouted as she was launched out of the gap in the roof an instant before a chakra-beam from the multi-armed Path forcibly dispelled her.

"Thanks." Jiraiya shouted down the hole, then he ducked a missile barrage. "Ma, pa, I need as much Sage Chakra as you can…"

" **Do you know what you're doing?"** Shima asked worriedly and Jiraiya nodded.

"Trust me."

.

"Aaaaargh!"

Shin stumbled backwards, clutching at the stump of his left arm. Hinata backed away, throwing the severed limb into the corner of the room, then ducked the back-swing of Orochimaru's blade, a back-swing that was in turn blocked by one of the five remaining Kakashi.

"Heh, these two haven't trained together." One of the other Kakashi's noted. "Not like those two."

"Less talking, more fighting!" Tsunade snapped as she jerked Shizune out of the way of a kunai thrust from Itachi, then dived to one side as a wind-enhanced kunai hurtled back at the Akatsuki member, missing him by a fraction of an inch.

"They're dispelling my clones too fast!" Naruto shouted as he wrapped wind chakra around a second kunai. "We can't hold… we're going to need a miracle…"

"Ask and you shall receive!" Jiraiya shouted from above and a statue looking like a humanoid frog crashed into the floor.

"Yes!" Naruto shouted in glee. "All non-naruto clones, attack! Originals to me!"

Tsunade and Shizune disengaged from their battle against Itachi, allowing a trio of Hinata-clones to take their place. Orochimaru tried to press his attack, only to be sent flying as Jiraiya plummeted through the ceiling and delivered a snap-kick, using the recoil to land next to Naruto.

"Here!" Jiraiya shouted and one of the clones grabbed him.

"Pervy sage ready!"

"Medic ready!"

"Apprentice ready!"

"Cyclops ready!"

Naruto caught Hinata in a hug. "Hime ready! Jump!"

.

The two remaining Paths still upright on the roof stared at the hole where multiple flashes of light had briefly illuminated the shattered wreckage within.

"What happened?"

"They got away." Itachi stated as he blurred into visibility next to one of the Paths. "It would seem that Naruto has managed to learn his father's version of the _Hiraishin_ rather than simply the Guard variant."

"Gonna… kill… that… bitch." Kisame grumbled from below as he finally managed to stand up, using his sword as a crutch while his other hand remained cupped around the abused portion of his anatomy.

For a long moment, the Shinobi simply stared at each other, then Itachi's form wavered before he collapsed, as did Kisami's. The bodies that hit the ground, however, weren't the ones that had started to fall.

.

"Even through that technique, it _hurt_." Kisame grumbled as he stood up over a dozen miles away and started to stretch. "At least I'm still intact, had it really been me there, I'd be singing soprano permanently."

Itachi simply nodded and pulled out a packet of pocky.

"That Shin dude, though, those eyes he had are _freaky_." Kisame continued, not noticing how Itachi had briefly frozen mid-motion, his normally-neutral face creasing slightly into a frown. "I wonder what _his_ story is."


	49. A Chunin Alerted

"That was _too_ close." Naruto gasped as he dropped onto one of the settees in his living area, Hinata snuggling up to him.

"I agree." Jiraiya said as he sat opposite Naruto, his facial markings receding back to their normal lines as the two toads dropped off his shoulders and started to look round curiously.

"Where did that statue come from?" Tsunade asked curiously as she and Shizune laid claim to the third settee, leaving Kakashi to sit next to the Toad Sage.

"That was the one preventing Naruto from using the _Hiraishin_. He could absorb chakra, but couldn't cope with _Senjutsu_." Jiraiya said, then he nodded to Hinata. "Thanks for pointing him out to me. I wasn't certain which one it was, I thought it was probably… Yahiko…"

Everyone looked at Jiraiya and he sighed.

"I'll be telling Sensei about this, but… the six on the roof? All were shinobi I've encountered in the past, all were dead and all were being used and controlled by one of my old students, Nagato of Ame, using his _dojutsu_. The _Rin'negan_."

Kakashi, Tsunade and Hinata all jolted in shock.

"I'm missing something." Naruto admitted.

"Probably better if I provide some background." Jiraiya admitted. "It was before your birth, Naruto. I was in Ame, helping those allied against Hanzo the Salamander. During my travels, I encountered a trio of orphans with great potential. Konan, Yahiko… and Uzumaki Nagato. Tsunade may remember them, she and Oro were with me when we met them. After we finished our mission, I stayed behind to teach them, make them more effective against Hanzo.  
"Although I was never able to find out which clans, if any, Yahiko and Konan were originally from, I knew that Nagato was an Uzumaki, but that paled compared to his _kekkei genkei_ , the _rin'negan_. His eyes let him use every element with equal ease and he could understand Jutsu with a single glance.  
"I trained them until they were able to defeat one of my _kage bunshin_ in battle, then I left them to gather more intel and some reinforcements. I had recruited a dozen shinobi, including then-chunin Minato, who had managed to learn the Senju version of the _Hiraishin_ and was in the process of adjusting it to make it his own. We were most of the way there when one of my spies reported that the three of them and their allies, the group known as the Red Dawn, had met Hanzo in combat… and had been killed."

"Obviously your spies were wrong." Tsunade stated in a voice that lacked any condemnation at all.

"They were partially right." Jiraiya admitted. "Konan and Nagato still live, but Yahiko did indeed die that day. The Akatsuki seemed to die with him and so me and my team returned to Konoha, believing that we had failed by not reaching them in time."

Jiraiya trailed off for a long moment before continuing.

"Nagato and Konan are still alive, but Nagato is using Yahiko's body like Sasori uses his puppets. More than that, he can see, hear, feel and use jutsu through his… he calls them his Paths. He himself has taken a new name, one that several of us will recognize. Pein."

"The one who toppled Hanzo." Kakashi noted.

"One and the same." Jiraiya confirmed grimly. "And now he wants to seize all the Jinchuuriki. Naruto, my spies haven't reported anything regarding the Biju, but I need you to send a clone with a message to as many of the Hidden Villages as you can. They need to know that they have to guard their jinchuuriki."

"Taki'll be a problem." Kakashi mused. "They keep their Jinchuuriki outside the village… they don't like her at all, they only keep her around _because_ she's a Jinchuuriki and therefore a powerful weapon."

Jiraiya smirked.

"The I think that soon, they'll regret not taking more care of her."

Tsunade looked at her team-mate, then started to laugh.

"I'm missing something." Naruto said again.

"I'll make it your first mission after I have the hat." Tsunade promised, confusing Naruto even more. "For now, though, I think I need to get to the Tower and talk to Sensei again. Coming, Shizune?"

"Of course, Lady Tsunade!"

Naruto watched the duo leave.

"I've definitely missed something." He admitted.

"Yes, yes you have." Jiraiya laughingly agreed, then he winced.

" **Don't tease the poor boy."** Shima scolded, lowering her hand from where she had dope-slapped the Sage. **"Hinata, you have a lovely home here."**

"Th… thank-you, but it's Naruto-kun's home, not mine…" Hinata managed.

 **"That reminds me."** Fukasaku said from just in front of Naruto. **"Hold out your left arm."**

Naruto did as the elderly toad asked, then cringed as Fukasaku wrapped his tongue around his wrist. For an instant, the skin covered by the Sage Toad's tongue seemed to feel like it was burning, then Fukasaku released him, his tongue shrinking as it returned to its proper place.

" **There you go, one unblockable reverse-summoning tattoo."** Fukasaku declared. **"Just smear some blood on it and channel chakra and you'll be at Mount Myoboku, no matter _what_ anyone tries."**

"…thanks…" Naruto managed, staring at the mark on the inside of his arm, the blocky kanji _Abura_ surrounded by _fuuinjutsu_ marks.

" **That will help you, but it only summons** _ **you**_ **."** Fukasaku said. **"You cannot bring anyone or any** _ **thing**_ **with you should you use it."**

Jiraiya grinned.

.

* * *

.

"That did not go as planned." Pein stated as three of the Paths collected the Path which had been transformed into a statue. "I was unaware that the Toad Sage could petrify my Preta Path. I may need to try and develop a counter for that…"

"The easiest solution is not to let Jiraiya near the Preta Path." Itachi suggested as he glanced round at the inn where he had been fighting via his avatar. "We need to leave, the local authorities are arriving."

"Tobi can help!" A new voice chirped and Itachi barely managed to avoid rolling his eyes. "Wow, this place looks all beat up… what did Tobi miss?"

.

* * *

.

"Lord Hokage." Kakashi said as he led the way into the office, holding the door long enough to allow Naruto and Hinata (who were holding hands) to follow him through. "Team Hiraishin reporting for debriefing."

"Tsunade has been telling me about the mission from her viewpoint, as has Jiraiya." Hiruzen said with a slight smile, then his face shifted into a frown. "You can confirm that it _was_ Orochimaru that you encountered?"

"It was." Kakashi responded, one hand stroking the Hitai-ate covering his eye and Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "I have no clue as to how he survived, but it _was_ him. No doubt about it."

"Damn!" Hiruzen cursed and Naruto's eyebrows shot up at the shock of his grandfather-figure cursing. "How many times must I steel myself to kill him?"

"Now _we_ 're here, we'll be able to make it stick, the next time." Jiraiya noted from where he was sprawled along the windowsill.

"I agree." Tsunade said from behind the second, newer desk in the office, one placed near the side of the room. "If Orochimaru returns, we'll make sure that he never leaves."

"Except that _now_ he's back with the Akatsuki." Jiraiya noted. "I've managed to get the full list of members and Orochimaru's nowhere near the strongest. He's not the weakest, but he's not the strongest either. I find myself wondering what he offered them to let him return…"

"Knowledge of my skills." Naruto said. "The one you turned into a statue? He was the one blocking my ability to simply teleport out of there. If they can find another to learn that skill, they'll be using it to come after me again, and the next time, they'll be ready for whatever you did."

"They still have one knowing that skill." Jiraiya sighed. "They have Nagato."

"You are certain it was the Ame Orphans?" Hiruzen asked and Jiraiya nodded. "But… they were all reported dead… or so I recall…"

"I'm checking my reports, but I think that my spies weren't the only Konoha spies in Ame at the time." Jiraiya grumbled. " _Someone_ managed to drop a false report into my network, and I really need to find out who."

.

Shimura Danzo stifled a sneeze. Looking round at his subterranean office, he sighed. Dust got everywhere, no matter how many times he ordered his subordinates to clean.

.

"So, changing the subject, when are you receiving the hat?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well, by the end of the week, I should have caught up with the basics, so I'll be receiving it then." Tsunade replied, glancing at Hiruzen.

"And I'll be able to retire… _again_." Hiruzen chuckled. "I don't think _any_ Kage has ever managed to retire _twice_ before."

"Jiji, what do you plan to do?" Naruto asked and Hiruzen chuckled again.

"Well, for a while, I think I'll enjoy retirement by catching up with my family, then teaching you both a couple of things. After that… maybe I'll take another genin team of my own. See if I can train them up without having them fall apart this time… You know, I learned the Guard version of the _Hiraishin_ too after I retired for the first time, just in case one of the three fell ill and your father needed a replacement guardsman. I may be a bit rusty, but I'll be happy to join you on a mission or two to blow the rust off ready for when I get my own team."

"I'll see what I can find for you, sensei." Tsunade laughed.

.

* * *

.

"Hey, Shika, Ino, Choji!" Naruto called out as he jogged onto the training ground. "Where's Asuma?"

"Over here." Asuma called as he walked into the field from the other side. "You got the course set up?"

"Yep." Naruto grinned as the trio of genin all groaned with realization. "Just as you wanted."

"Good. Team ten, head to Training Ground fourteen where one of Naruto's clones will direct you to the starting point for the course. Naruto?"

"You will make your way from marked area to marked area, avoiding or countering the traps that have been set." Naruto recited. "Squares marked out in yellow rope are safe points and each has inside it an arrow pointing to the next square."

"Oh hell." Ino groaned. "Tenten's told me about those type of courses. Apparently Lee _still_ triggers every single ankle-noose."

"He's taken to carrying a kunai on his belt so he can cut the rope." Naruto shrugged. "It's quite impressive, he can start cutting before his other foot is pulled off the ground. It usually ends up with him doing a somersault these days."

"Let's go." Shikamaru sighed as he walked towards the edge of the clearing in the same manner that a prisoner would walk towards the headsman's block. "The sooner we do this, the sooner we get to replace our ruined clothes and get some food."

"And the sooner you can help me set up Team Nine's course, Ino!" Naruto called after the departing genin.

"So, dad's retiring soon." Asuma said, leaning against a tree as he pulled out a cigarette. "I hear he's very interested in teaching you. He's already helping to teach Sasuke, you know."

Naruto raised a querying eyebrow at the older Jonin.

"I thought Sasuke was in ANBU."

"He is, but he found out the truth about his clan's destruction and how his brother saved his life."

"Should I know this?"

"Heh, you're a Jinchuuriki _and_ the son of the Fourth. Even if pops hadn't cleared you to know this, you'd probably have found out soon enough. Sasuke's going through serious therapy between missions, what his brother did to him left some damage that still hasn't healed. On the other hand, he's already completed several missions and, with his _sharingan_ , is catching up to Kakashi in number of usable jutsu. I heard that he's been learning all the elemental types so that he can actually use his newly-copied moves."

Naruto nodded slowly. "I hope he does well. Back in the Academy, I thought of him as a rival, that if I could beat him, people would start to treat me better. Looking back, I can only wonder just what the hell I thought I was thinking back then. Kamis above, I was an idiot."

.

Hinata blinked in confusion.

"Why do I feel the need to give Naruto-kun a really big kiss?"

"Dunno." Anko shrugged, stealing one of the Dango sticks from Hinata's plate. "They're _your_ feelings."

"Stop teasing her, Anko." Kurenai sighed, waving to the waiter for another platter of Dango.


	50. Training Of A Sharingan user

Sasuke looked at the mask that he had been given.

"Welcome to ANBU, trainee." Okami said and Sasuke stiffened to attention as the white-coated ANBU Commander stepped back, hands vanishing into his sleeves. "For the next two months, you will undergo training in the ways of ANBU. You will learn to fight like the ninja of old, with blade and poison, stealth and silence. You hold your new face in your hands, your new name. Uchiha Sasuke is now no longer within Konoha. He has vanished. You will prove yourself worthy of your new name… Okojo."

Sasuke slowly lifted his mask up to his face, feeling the seals around the edge react to his chakra, fixing the mask in place. Although the eye-holes in the mask should have restricted his vision, the mask was oddly transparent, not impeding his field of view apart from a slight dulling of colors. Experimentally, Sasuke activated his _sharingan_ and realized that the transparent mask blocked his _dojutsu_ , but he could still use it through the eye-holes.

Okami waited for Sasuke to deactivate his bloodlimit before speaking again.

"For the next two months, there is no Uchiha Sasuke, only Okojo."

"I understand, Okami-sama." Sasuke said stiffly and Okami nodded once.

"Then I shall leave you. Wait here for the one who will train you in the ways of the ANBU."

Okami vanished without even the swirl of chakra-leaves that marked a normal _shunshin_ and Sasuke gaped at the casual display of skill before collecting himself.

His new teacher would be here soon and he would devote himself to learning everything that he could.

His brother had been in ANBU, now he would learn the same lessons that had made _Him_ so strong…

.

Less than five minutes had passed before a new figure appeared, this time with the characteristic swirling leaves of a Konoha _Shunshin_.

"Trainee Okojo?"

"Hai!" Sasuke responded, stiffening to attention even as he looked at the new person. The man stood taller than him and was wearing a cat-based mask with red lines surrounding the eye-holes and green lines above and below them. A sword rose from behind his right shoulder and Sasuke mentally nodded at the implication that he would learn _kenjutsu_ as well.

"My name for now is Tenzo." The man stated. "You have been assigned to learn from me. I will do my best to hone you into one of Konoha's Blades. You will suffer, you will learn that the true face of Konoha is different from how you think, you may even curse my name as you fall into your bunk. Just be aware that while I like being nice and friendly, I have no problems with ruling with fear if that is what is needed to make you into what Konoha needs. Do you understand?"

"Hai, Sensei." Sasuke replied, only for Tenzo to give a sharp shake of his head.

"I am Tenzo. You are Okojo. Understand?"

"…hai, Tenzo."

"Good." Tenzo said. "Now, follow me."

Sasuke followed Tenzo into the darkness.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke blinked in surprise.

"I do not understand." He admitted. "Surely, since I have my _sharingan_ , it would be more efficient to use it?"

"Yes and no." Tenzo replied. "The _sharingan_ is a powerful tool, but even a simple chakra-flash can disable it for several seconds. In addition, the moves that you learn that way can be perfectly repeated only while your _sharingan_ is active. You would need to practice them without your blood-limit active if you were to have a chance of performing them should someone be able to counter your eyes."

"How many ways do you know to counter my eyes?" Sasuke asked.

"Eight that I can think of immediately." Tenzo stated."Now, try to follow my lead… _without_ using your _sharingan_."

Sasuke drew his Tanto and dropped into the first stance, copying Tenzo's moves. His blade seemed to dance through the air and he felt a _rightness_ about the moves.

"Excellent." Tenzo said as he sheathed his blade and Sasuke stared at him. "A few more repetitions and you will have mastered the first Kata. You seem to be naturally gifted with the sword."

Sasuke felt his chest swell with pride at the compliment, a compliment that was delivered based purely on his own actions and not because of his lineage or fame.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke collapsed onto his bunk. Although it had seemed to be less comfortable than the bed in his flat, right now it was _the_ most comfortable surface ever as his exhausted body seemed to mold itself against the firmness of the mattress.

A slow-moving hand removed the mask from Sasuke's face and he carefully placed it on the shelf beside the bed before allowing his eyes to close.

Even at his most driven, he had never been this tired, but he would succeed.

For he was Uchiha Sasuke, the avenger of his clan, and he would prove his worth to the world.

.

* * *

.

"Again!" Tenzo barked and Sasuke turned to face the course once more.

The ANBU course was deceptively simple, but every inch of it was trapped or set up to cause whoever was trying to use it to fail.

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke leapt to the first platform, landing on the edge rather than the middle since the last time he had done so, the apparently-solid surface had split and dumped him into a pit filled with icy water.

"Report." Okami said as he materialized beside Tenzo.

"He's learning fast." Tenzo said. "He isn't as naturally skilled as his brother, but he makes up for it with determination and study."

"Good." Okami noted. "And his loyalty rating?"

"Middle to High." Tenzo stated.

"It will have to do." Okami finally said as, on the far side of the course Sasuke managed to do a spinning leap that let him deflect the incoming shuriken. "Before he can take the final oath, he needs to learn the truth about _that_ night."

"He will react badly." Tenzo stated. " _He_ used Tsukiyomi on Okojo. Yamanaka is still working on undoing it, but…"

"It will take as long as it takes." Okami said philosophically. "Do what you can to aid him. I feel that Okojo will be a great asset to Konoha once he finishes his training."

Tenzo nodded as Okami vanished once more.

.

* * *

.

Sasuke opened his eyes and Yamanaka Inoichi gasped at the sight.

The past few weeks of dawn-to-dusk training in ANBU had caused Sasuke's eyes to evolve to the full trio of tomoe each, but now, they were different. The formerly red eyes now looked like red flowers unfolding against a black background.

"…Itachi…" Sasuke whispered. "…you were crying…"

"Your eyes…" Inoichi managed, but Sasuke ignored his comment, still caught up in the memory that had been blocked by the _genjutsu_ that Itachi had used to over-write it.

"Who was that masked man?" Sasuke mused. "And why did Itachi… why?"

"I think you need to see the Hokage." Inoichi decided.

.

Hiruzen looked up as three figures entered his office. Inoichi led the way, followed by Okojo with Okami bringing up the rear. The ANBU commander peeled off and moved to one corner where he seemed to fade into the background.

"Okojo, you may unmask." Hiruzen said and Sasuke removed the Stoat mask.

"Lord Hokage…" He began. "I have… activated my _Mangekyo_."

Hiruze inhaled sharply. "How?"

"May I answer that?" Inoichi asked. "We finally broke the _genjutsu_ that Itachi had used on Sasuke during… the _event_. The memory it had been blocking indicated the situation back then was rather different from what we had been told…"

Horuzen nodded and motioned for the duo to sit, allowing Okami to remain inconspicuous.

"Sasuke." Hiruzen began. "I was unaware of this… _genjutsu_ , but I knew that the events of that night were not as clear as you believed. How much do you know of the events leading up to it?"

"I… I knew that my father was rather tense about something, as were some of the others, but I didn't know what." Sasuke admitted and Hiruzen sighed.

"There is no easy way to say this, Sasuke, but your father and the Uchiha Elders were planning a coup. They were unsatisfied with the clan's position in Konoha and sought to take control."

Sasuke glanced at Okami, who nodded in confirmation of Hiruzen's statement. When he turned back, his face was pale with shock.

"But… we… the other villages…"

"Had the coup gone ahead, Konoha would undoubtedly have followed Uzushiogakure." Hiruzen stated. "Kumo and Iwa had heard that the tensions in Konoha were rising and had prepared their forces, massing them ready to invade as soon as we turned upon ourselves. Kiri would have followed them, as would the smaller villages of Amegakure, Tanigakure, Takigakure and Kusagakure. Suna… we had no way of knowing which way Suna would go with the odds stacked against us like that. At best, they would have remained neutral."

"What was father _thinking_?!" Sasuke hissed.

"I had decided to defuse the situation by declaring that I was going to train your brother as my apprentice and the future Godaime when the Massacre happened." Hiruzen continued. "I have very strong suspicions as to who forged the orders that set your brother against his clan, but even now, I have not been able to find a single shred of hard evidence to support those suspicions. If I had, that person would now be dead by my hand… or by yours. As it is, he is currently politically untouchable and is skilled enough that you would stand no chance at all against him."

Sasuke gave a jerky nod, his eyes almost glowing with suppressed rage.

"When Itachi discovered the orders hadn't been from my hand, he suggested that he should take the blame. He left that night carrying the stigma of being the killer of the Uchiha Clan, but his loyalty to Konoha never wavered. He still reports regularly via Jiraiya's network, using his Pocky addiction as a cover to hand his reports to the shopkeepers who work as agents of the Toad Sage.  
"Even though he knows that most of the Shinobi of Konoha would kill him because of his actions, he remains loyal.  
"Itachi has successfully infiltrated a group known as the Akatsuki, an organisation based in Amegakure. He has sent us descriptions of all the members and their skill sets. While he is one of the stronger members, he is not the strongest. That would be their leader, a man known only as Lord Pein, a man with six bodies that act as one."

"He… still serves Konoha?" Sasuke managed and Hiruzen nodded gently.

"He does. All he has ever asked was that you be kept as safe as possible without endangering your growth as a Shinobi of Konoha. It is my belief that he plans to have you kill him in battle so that you will emerge as the Last Uchiha and, in the eyes of the public, a true hero who will re-establish the Uchiha clan and raise it to prominence, this time as a true and integral part of Konoha."

Sasuke looked down at his clenched fists for a long moment, every line of his body showing the tense anger he was keeping restrained by only his pure willpower, then he looked up.

"Can he… return?"

Hiruzen blinked at the unexpected question. "What?"

"He… he was trying to protect me… from the man in the spiral mask…" Sasuke explained. "He called him… Madara…"

"Uchiha Madara!" Hiruzen gasped. "But how? He died at the Valley of the End!"

"His body was never recovered." Okami stated from his corner. "He could have faked his death… things like that have been known to happen…"

"This changes things." Hiruzen mused. "Why did Itachi not report that to me?"

"Perhaps he thought you knew?" Sasuke offered and Hiruzen slumped in his chair.

"I have more to atone for than I thought." He sighed, then his gaze sharpened as he rose from behind the desk.

"Sasuke, I heard that your primary element is lightning. I don't think Kakashi will have taught you much beyond ensuring you have a good grounding in the basics, but there are several techniques that I can give you. I believe that you have enough chakra at least to learn the _Raiton Bunshin_ …"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke received the Stoat mask to show he wasn't the same as his brother who received the Weasel mask.  
> After all, a Weasel is weasel-ly recognized, while a Stoat is stoat-ally different.  
> Feel free to groan...


	51. Taking the Hat

Tsunade sagged onto the surprisingly comfortable settee and glanced out of the window. Only her experience let her hide her shock as she recognized the valley and her gaze quickly took in the rest of the room with its distinctive fireplace and half-floor above.

It was Minato's old house, one where she had visited to check over Kushina after Minato had rescued her.

The house where she and her then-fiancee Dan had eaten their final meal together before the mission that had taken Dan away from her, a meal personally cooked by then-Jonin Namikaze Minato.

"…were shinobi I've encountered in the past, all were dead and all were being used and controlled by one of my old students, Nagato of Ame, using his _dojutsu_. The _Rin'negan_." Jiraiya stated, causing Tsunade to focus on her team-mate as he explained how he had met them, and how his spies had relayed word of their deaths.

"Obviously your spies were wrong." Tsunade mused, mentally trying to figure out who would have profited from Hanzo remaining in power. For a long moment, she allowed herself to lose the thread of the conversation, trusting her well-trained memory to record it in case she needed to quote from it later, then a familiar word brought her back.

"… Jinchuuriki. Naruto, my spies haven't reported anything regarding the Biju, but I need you to send a clone with a message to as many of the Hidden Villages as you can. They need to know that they have to guard their jinchuuriki." Jiraiya said.

"Taki'll be a problem." Kakashi mused. "They keep their Jinchuuriki _outside_ the village… they don't like her at all, they only keep her around _because_ she's a Jinchuuriki and therefore a powerful weapon."

Jiraiya smirked.

"The I think that soon, they'll regret not taking more care of her." Jiraiya smirked.

Tsunade looked at her team-mate, then started to laugh as she followed his logic and deduced the plan that he had probably developed.

"I'm missing something." Naruto said, causing Tsunade's amusement to deepen.

"I'll make it your first mission after I have the hat." Tsunade promised Jiraiya "For now, though, I think I need to get to the Tower and talk to Sensei again. Coming, Shizune?"

"Of course, Lady Tsunade!"

Tsunade nodded to the others before stepping out through the door and walking towards the path that would take them to the bottom of the Hokage Monument, Shizune half-scurrying along behind her.

"Shizune," She said as she slowed slightly to allow her apprentice (and most trusted friend) to catch up to her, "Do you think I've made the right choice?"

"I think you'll do a great job, my lady." Shizune replied.

"Not what I asked." Tsunade deadpanned. "Please, tell me. Do you think I've chosen correctly?"

Shizune blinked a couple of times as she ordered her thoughts and Tsunade remained silent, refusing to try and hurry her apprentice's response.

"I… think that you _have_ made the right choice, my lady." Shizune finally admitted. "We've been moving from place to place for many years…"

"Running away, you mean." Tsunade snorted. "Sensei was very nice to avoid pointing that out to me… which actually made it more obvious…"

Shizune's diplomatic silence caused Tsunade to chuckle mirthlessly.

"Shizune, do you want to know how he persuaded me to come back?"

"If… you don't mind, my lady…" Shizune managed.

"He asked me if I could recommend either Danzo or Jiraiya as his replacements." Tsunade barked with laughter before sobering. "Then he asked me if I was willing to give myself a chance to heal or if I preferred bleeding to death from my emotional wounds."

"Hiruzen-sama _does_ have a way with words." Shizune admitted.

"The old bastard does indeed." Tsunade grumbled in unwilling admiration. "It'll be interesting to get an in-depth look at how he thinks."

"My lady?"

"He's going to have to fully explain his plans and policies to me so that I can adjust or continue them as I see fit." Tsunade explained as they briefly emerged into a clearing and followed the path out of it again. "I'll finally have a chance to see just what… did we see back there?"

Shizune blinked as Tsunade reversed course and half-jogged back to the clearing.

"What's going on?" She asked the paint-spattered genin on the other side of the clearing.

"It is a most youthful training session!" The one clad in green shouted back as he helped to untie the pink-haired kunoichi from the ropes that had bound her to a tree. "We are half-way around the course and are still going strong!"

"And I'm going to _kill_ Naruto for doing this to me!" The kunoichi snarled as she dropped to the ground and started re-tying the rags of her former clothing in an attempt to retain her modesty.

"You look like you fell victim to one of the traps from the book written by Uchiha Madara!" Shizune stated, trying not to burst out laughing. "The one that uses three lemons and a paperclip!"

"Yosh, that was two traps ago!" The green-clad teenager replied with a wide grin. "Truly, Naruto-kun shows extreme youthfulness in the art of traps! Now, let us move on… _yoink_!"

Tsunade watched in disbelief as the energetic teen triggered an ankle-noose trap and managed to slice through it with a kunai even before his other foot had fully left the ground.

"What the hell's been going on in the years I've been away?" She muttered as the trio of genin vanished into the forest.

.

"Ah, the trap courses." Hiruzen smiled after Tsunade had finished describing what she had seen. "It sounds like Team 9 is being given a run for their money by young Naruto, although he did mention that he was going to be teaching Ino how to set up the courses after she finished the one he had set up for her."

"That's… normal?" Tsunade asked in disbelief and Hiruzen nodded.

"It's a fairly regular thing these days. We have several aspiring trap-masters in amongst our genin. You've already met Naruto and you've still to see Ino's work while Hyuuga Neji is becoming something of an expert in detecting and disassembling traps in his own right. In fact, the Hyuuga clan have recently instituted their own trap-making and trap-breaking courses."

"I see I'm going to have to do a _lot_ of studying." Tsunade sighed and Hiruzen motioned towards the second desk in the office, one which had been set at right-angles to his own.

"For the next few days, that'll be your desk as I bring you up to speed." He said. "Once you take the hat, we'll switch so that _this_ desk will be yours. Remind me to show you how to open the secret drawers."

"Thanks, Sensei." Tsunade smiled as she moved to take the seat behind her desk, then she looked at her assistant. "Shizune, I want you to head to the hospital. Find out what's going on there and report back."

"Yes, my lady." Shizune said with a bow before seeming to vanish.

"So." Hiruzen said, pulling out a sheet of paper. "Here we are, form 451979, Confirmation of Field Promotion In Peacetime. I think that before you become Hokage, you should at least be promoted from Chunin."

Tsunade blinked several times. "I… I'd forgotten that I was still technically a chunin…"

"You did depart just before you could take the Jonin Exam." Hiruzen reminded her. "We both know that skill and rank aren't always the same thing… speaking of which, what rank do you think young Shizune would be if I had her tested?"

"I trained her as well as I could." Tsunade half-sighed, glancing at her apprentice. "I did my best to bring her up to my level as much as possible, so… Tokubetsu Jonin at the very least."

"The I'll have her undergo the testing tomorrow." Hiruzen smiled at his surprised former student. "I'm sure that she'll pass with flying colors. Now, one more thing."

"Yes, Sensei?"

Hiruzen made a small hand-signal and the door opened, revealing a tall blond man.

"I think you may remember is Yamanaka Inoichi." Hiruzen said. "I think you need to get over that phobia of yours if you are to let an old man like me retire."

"Yes, Sensei." Tsunade sighed as she turned to face the obviously-amused clan-head.

"Don't worry." Inoichi said reassuringly. "You're not the first non-Yamanaka clan-member I've helped."

"He's helping the young Uchiha as well." Hiruzen added. "You're in safe hands."

"And don't worry about the cost." Inoichi continued."Konoha's got this one."

"And most of your wage as Hokage can go towards paying off all the debts you've run up." Hiruzen finished with an overly-innocent expression, earning a glare from Tsunade. "We'll do a full debrief after your preliminary session with Inoichi, but for now, did anything happen after I came back?"

.

Hiruzen stared in shock at Tsunade.

"You're _certain_?"

"It _was_ Orochimaru." Tsunade confirmed. "Or… I remember him saying something about looking into cloning just before he fled Konoha. Maybe it was a clone of him… or he sent a clone of him to attack Konoha…"

"That makes a disturbing amount of sense." Hiruzen sighed, then he looked up as the office door opened.

"Lord Hokage." Kakashi said as he led the way into the office, holding the door long enough to allow Naruto and Hinata (who were holding hands) to follow him through. "Team Hiraishin reporting for debriefing."

.

* * *

.

"My Lady?" Shizune queried as Tsunade looked round the newly-emptied Hokage Mansion. "We're going to need some furniture."

"Indeed we are, Shizune." Tsunade agreed as she looked through one of the doors to see a large library, its shelves stacked high with scrolls and books. "Looks like they only took the Sarutobi stuff… Shizune, make a note to organize a team to go to the Senju mansion and grab all the furniture that's still usable."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade carefully closed the door and leaned against the frame.

"I still can't believe that I'm doing this." She sighed. "Am I caught in _genjutsu_ or something?"

"With your chakra control, that would be difficult." Shizune pointed out and Tsunade nodded.

"It'll be odd, not running from the debt collectors… you know, there is one bright point to this."

"My lady?"

Tsunade grinned almost ferally. "You can finally find a good man and have some kids for their ' _Aunt Tsunade_ ' to spoil rotten."

Shizune blushed and Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Already got someone in mind, have you?"

"Lady Tsunade!"

.

* * *

.

Tsunade stepped forwards, feeling the official robes weighing heavily on her shoulders as Hiruzen spoke, using the _fuuinjutsu_ inscribed into the balcony and shade-pillars to amplify and project his voice, making it audible to everyone who was watching from below.

"…and as I retire… _once more_ ," Hiruzen said, causing a ripple of laughter from the crowd, "I do so in the knowledge that once again, I do so in favor of someone who will perform the task placed upon them with the greatness and determination that Konohagakure deserves. People of Konoha, may I present the Godaime Hokage… _Senju Tsunade_!"

As her Sensei finished his speech, Tsunade stepped forwards into the almost-solid cheering from the assembled citizens and Shinobi. Glancing sideways, she saw Shizune smiling with pride at her, then she turned her attention back to her Sensei, who had removed the Hat of Kages and was holding it out for her to take.

"I, Senju Tsunade, student of the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, do hereby accept the position of Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure." Tsunade declaimed, the words coming easily to her after the several hours of tutelage under Hiruzen's gaze. "May the Will of Fire burn brightly in the Leaf!"

As she finished, she donned the hat, then raised one clenched fist in the old symbol of victorious triumph.

"Let the Will of Fire burn in us all!" She shouted. "For Konoha!"

" **For Konoha!"** The massed response came and Tsunade smiled as she looked out over the Village Hidden In The Leaves, the Village that was now hers to lead, hers to guide and hers to protect.

"Dan." She whispered. "I'll fulfill your dream for you. I promise that I'll make you proud."

The cheering grew louder as Hiruzen stepped back, leaving her at the front of the balcony, a symbol of the new dawn for the Leaf.


	52. A Chunin And A Lucky One

"…and as I retire… _once_ _more_ ," Hiruzen said from the balcony, causing Hinata to giggle as she leaned into Naruto's hug, "I do so in the knowledge that once again, I do so in favor of someone who will perform the task placed upon them with the greatness and determination that Konohagakure deserves. People of Konoha, may I present the Godaime Hokage… _Senju Tsunade_!"

"I'm glad she's going through with it." Naruto whispered as Tsunade accepted the hat. "Hopefully, I'll be the next to wear it."

"I'm sure you will." Hinata replied quietly.

"I, Senju Tsunade, student of the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, do hereby accept the position of Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure." Tsunade said, the words echoing across the village"May the Will of Fire burn brightly in the Leaf!"

Tsunade donned the Hat, then raised one fist.

"Let the Will of Fire burn in us all!" She shouted. "For Konoha!"

" **For Konoha!"** The crowd shouted, Naruto and Hinata joining in as the feeling of triumph and victory seemed to almost solidify around them.

.

* * *

.

"Team Hiraishin, reporting for mission." Kakashi stated as he stepped into the office where, in a reversal of the previous time they had been there, Tsunade was sat behind the Hokage's desk while Hiruzen was seated behind the secondary desk.

"Kakashi, Naruto, Hinata." Tsunade said with a nod of greeting. "Are you ready for your mission?"

Naruto nodded eagerly and Tsunade's smile turned slightly feral.

"As you know, Akatsuki are starting to move to secure the Jinchuuriki." She began. "Naruto, thanks for using your clones to send the messages to Kiri, Kumo and Suna. Jiraiya has arranged for Iwa to be warned, since your clones would be attacked on sight if they went there, which leaves… Takigakure."

"The ones who don't like their Jinchuuriki." Naruto recalled.

"Correct." Tsunade agreed with a wicked smirk. "As such, we are going to give them what they want. We are going to take their Jinchuuriki away from them… or more properly, we are _reclaiming_ their Biju since they don't appreciate it. The fact that we'll gain one of their kunoichi as well is just a bonus."

"So the mission is to sneak into the Land of Cliffs, make our way to the edge of the Village Hidden In The Waterfall, locate their Jinchuuriki and return with it." Kakashi stated, then he frowned. "Which one is it?"

"The Nanabi, the Seven-tailed Beetle." Hiruzen supplied, causing both Kakashi and Hinata to turn to look at Naruto.

"Naruto, can we confer with…?"

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, then made a hand-seal that Tsunade didn't recognize.

" _Biju Bunshin_!"

A cloud of smoke dissipated to reveal a waist-high reddish fox with multiple tails. For a long moment, both Tsunade and Hiruzen stared at the creature before slowly sinking back into their chairs.

"Kurama, may I introduce you to the Godaime Hokage Senju Tsunade and the retired Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen." Naruto said formally. "Tsunade-sama, Jiji, may I introduce Otsutsuki Kurama, one of the nine living children of Otsutsuki Hagoromo, also known as the Sage of the Six Paths."

"…huh." Tsunade finally managed as she stared at Kurama, who responded by puffing out his chest and raising his snout.

"I think they're overwhelmed with my magnifice… _ooooh yeah_ , riiiiight there…"

Naruto hid a smile as Hinata used the comb she had pulled out of a pocket to start combing Kurama's fur, taking advantage of the action to gently massage the top of his head with the fingers of her free hand. Within seconds, Kurama was lying on the ground in a furry pile of pleasure with Hinata kneeling beside him, brushing his fur so it lay neatly, using gentle motions to tease out the few knots.

"You have about a hundred years to stop doing that…" Kurama manged. "But you _can_ take longer if you think that you really need to…"

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief. "Naruto… that is perhaps one of the most disturbing sights I have ever seen."

"You think that's bad?" Naruto laughed. "When Hanabi saw him for the first time, it took an hour to persuade her to stop hugging him and rubbing his belly."

"…so… the Nanabi?" Hiruzen prompted.

"Chomei?" Kurama sat up. "She's my favorite sibling… why are you discussing her?"

"She isn't being appreciated by the village that holds her and Akatsuki is trying to collect the Biju for bad reasons of their own." Tsunade supplied, causing Kurama to growl.

"If she comes here, you'll treat her right?"

"I'll teach her Jinchuuriki the _Biju Bunshin_ so that she can manifest independently, assuming her Seal lets her. If it doesn't, I'll take her to see your uncle." Naruto offered and Kurama nodded.

"I'll help. Whatever you need as long as we get her here. Perhaps we can persuade that bug-clan of yours to watch over her."

"The Aburame?" Hiruzen mused. "Tsunade, once they've left, _I'll_ go and talk to Shibi about this. Plausible deniability and all that…"

Tsunade nodded, her eyes still transfixed by the sight of Kurama once again flopping onto the floor under Hinata's gentle ministrations.

"You know, dad left one of his tags near Taki." Naruto mused. "I can sense it…"

"That should cut down on travel time." Kakashi mused approvingly.

"And I was wondering how many other tags he left in storage." Naruto continued, earning a contemplative look from Jiraiya. "If we can double-tag the locations that are important, we could hide one, say, under an etched stone so it looks like the pattern on the stone is the target used for the technique. Maybe include a couple of seals that glow when chakra is applied, but do nothing else…"

"And thus people will try to decode the etchings, not realizing that they have no meaning at all, thus causing them to waste time and energy that they could have spent doing something we didn't like." Jiraiya smirked. "And a second tag nearby means that if they set up a trap, we can simply pop up nearby and take it apart before they figure out what just happened."

"I'd recommend doing that only at key points." Kakashi cautioned. "We do need to keep a reserve of tags, after all. At least until you learn how to duplicate them."

"We'll discuss this _after_ the mission." Jiraiya decided. "No point getting distracted now."

.

* * *

.

"All ready?" Kakashi asked as Hinata and Naruto stepped out of Naruto's house.

"Packed for a full week." Naruto stated. "I know it's meant to be a quick in-and-out, but you never know… I took the liberty of sending a clone ahead to secure the area. Since it hasn't dispelled, I know it's safe."

"…okay." Kakashi said slowly. "Next time, though, check with me first. I am the team leader for a reason."

"Sorry." Naruto apologized and Kakashi shrugged.

"I admit that I was planning for you to do something similar, so no foul _this_ time. Next time, though… wait for permission before doing scouting. If someone spotted your clone and your clone didn't notice… or was disrupted in a way that prevented the memory transfer, we could end up going into an ambush that wouldn't have been there otherwise."

Naruto nodded, his face pale as he thought about how things could have gone wrong.

"So, if you can send some clones to secure our entry point, we can go." Kakashi added and Naruto created a dozen clones, six of whom grabbed the others before they all vanished.

"Huh," Kakashi commented. "Halved the deployment chakra cost, I see. Hadn't really noticed that during the last mission. Not bad."

"Thanks." Naruto said, then he cocked his head. "One clone dispelled to send the all-clear, the others are on lookout duty."

"Then let's go." Kakashi said, moving so that he could press his fingers against Naruto's and Hinata's in preparation for the _Hiraishin_ jump.

.

As soon as the world blinked, the trio spun outwards, standing back-to-back as they waited.

"All clear." Hinata said as she deactivated her _byakugan_. "No-one within range."

"I don't suppose that you've learned how to sense chakra yet, have you?" Kakashi asked, causing Naruto to shake his head. "Okay. _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

A small cloud of smoke announced the arrival of a dog wearing a blue sleeveless coat.

"Pakkun, we need to find a _Jinchuuriki_." Kakashi stated.

"There's one just behind you." Pakkun responded and Kakashi sighed.

"Naruto, I know. I mean a different one. Female, holds the Nanabi."

"Forget it." Kurama stated as he emerged from a cloud of smoke. "That dog'll just slow us down. I can sense her, she's over that way."

"That's not nice." Pakkun grumbled. "Do you make a habit of stopping others from working?"

"Well, I can see you two are getting along _wonderfully_ , but we really need to get moving." Kakashi sighed. "Pakkun, do you want to stay or return?"

"I'll stay." Pakkun grumped. "You don't summon us enough, you know. Pick me up."

Kakashi plucked Pakkun from the ground and placed him on his shoulder, then looked round.

"What?"

"You have a summoning contract as well?" Naruto asked in shock.

"Meh, meh, why so surprised?" Kakashi drawled as he turned to lead the way. "You have toads, I have a pack of dogs. Besides, quite a few of the Jonin have contracts."

"Like Gai and his turtles." Naruto nodded, earning a considering glance from Kakashi.

"He doesn't use them much."

"He uses them more now." Naruto shot back. "At least, when I relayed the message from Ningane to him."

Kakashi opened his mouth, paused, and then closed it again, obviously deciding not to continue that line of questioning.

"Still clear." Hinata reported, the veins around her eyes shrinking back to their normal sizes.

"She's staying still." Kurama reported. "Where's this village that hates her?"

"Over that way." Kakashi said, pointing slightly to the left. "About three miles in a straight line. We'll need to bear right soon to avoid their normal patrols."

"Hmmmm, okay." Kurama growled. "But the sooner we get her back to Konoha, the better. I _cannot_ believe I just said that!"

.

* * *

.

"…even think you _deserve_ being treated like a _human_?" A male voice sneered as the group carefully crept to the top of the rise, using the bushes that grew there as cover. "You're nothing more than a weapon for the village and if you try to act up again, I'll do _worse_ than use the pain seal on you! Now pick yourself up and get back to that hole of yours. We're done for today."

The man with dark, spiky hair held back by a pale green/brown bandana kicked the green-haired girl who was lying on the ground, then turned and stalked off.

"That… _bastard_!" Kurama growled. "Now you know why I hate most humans…"

"That was Suien." Kakashi mused. "He's a _suiton_ user, a very powerful one."

"The girl, she must be the Jinchuuriki." Naruto mused as the girl in question slowly pulled herself onto her hands and knees, then she managed to stand up, wincing as she clutched at her ribs where she had been kicked. Kurama nodded as the girl started to move towards the treeline.

"Suien's vanished into a waterfall, a big one." Hinata reported quietly from her position behind them.

"He mentioned a pain seal." Naruto growled. "If they've put that on her, there's probably also a tracking seal at least. We may need Jiraiya here. I'm getting pretty good, but he's the expert."

"Agreed." Kakashi said, his uncovered eye gazing almost sightlessly at the now-empty clearing. "Hinata, anyone else around?"

"Clear, Sensei." Hinata replied almost at once.

"Kurama, if you'd be so kind as to lead us to your sister and her host?"

"My pleasure." Kurama half-growled.

.

* * *

.

"While Zetsu and Tobio try to locate the Sanbi, I have a mission for you." Pein stated.

"Of course, Lord Pein." Orochimaru bowed. "How may we serve?"

Pein's eyes narrowed slightly. "We have confirmed the location of the Nanabi, it is being held outside Takigakure. You and Shin will travel there and secure it. The host must be kept alive, but beyond that, I leave the mission entirely to your discretion. Be aware, though, that the Takigakure Elders insisted on placing both a Pain Seal and a Tracking Seal on the Host. The Pain Seal is a standard Uzumaki Prisoner Control Seal…"

"Which I know how to activate." Orochimaru smirked. "This mission should be fairly easy."

"Do not let your overconfidence lead you into another loss." Pein warned and Orochimaru's eye twitched at the reminder of his failed attack on Konoha.

"Lord Pein, when the time comes to secure the Ichibi, may I assist? It will be a strong blow to Suna."

"I shall consider it." Pein stated. "You may leave."

"As you command, Lord Pein."


	53. A Chunin Observed

"How do we do this?" Naruto asked almost half an hour later as the quartet sat in the small den that Kakashi had created via judicious use of _doton_ jutsu.

Hinata shrugged to indicate that she didn't know while Kakashi stroked his chin in thought.

"Suien has a tendency to linger to gloat over his enemies after defeating them, so there's every chance he'll return briefly before dusk." Kakashi finally said. "Somehow, we need to contact the Jinchuuriki, check that she wants to leave Taki…"

"She does." Kurama stated. "I've been talking to Chomei."

Everyone looked at the large fox curiously and he glanced round. "What?"

"Chomei? But… how?" Kakashi asked.

"We Biju share a… I think you'd call it a _Kekkei Genkei_." Kurama finally answered after a long pause. "Any of us can talk with the others, we just need to concentrate to do so. It's easier when we're in a Host, it's one of the reasons I could cope with being inside those Uzumakis even though they never bothered to try and talk to me."

"Sorry." Naruto muttered.

"Yeah, you're my first Host who actually bothered to speak to me." Kurama half-growled, then he shook himself. "Sorry. I think I need to have another talk with Uncle Gama."

"Once this is over, I'll take you to him." Naruto promised and Kurama smiled briefly at him.

"Thanks. Anyway, we can talk to each other regardless of the distance between us, although since we're siblings, we usually don't want to. Family arguments and all that."

"Makes sense." Kakashi agreed as Hinata began stroking Kurama's fur to help him calm down. "So, what did you and… Chomei? Decide to do?"

"Simple, Chomei sent Fu here to meet you." A new voice said from the entrance.

.

"I have her in sight, Master." Shin declared, causing Orochimaru to give him a quizzical look.

"Shin, correct me if I'm wrong, but we're still in the Southern Bastion, correct?"

Shin nodded, not bothering to look around at the giant cavern they were standing in, its sides dotted with doorways and shafts, some of which were barred. "We are."

"And aside from all of my followers, the Sound Four and those odd young clones you've _finally_ started to grow in the lab, it is just us two here, correct?"

"As always, my Master." Shin agreed while the newest member of the Sound Four, a woman named Guren, glowered at him.

"Then, _how_ exactly do you have our target in sight?"

Shin motioned with one hand and a nearby rock seemed to ripple, turning into a small creature with a solitary out-sized _sharingan_. Moving on four stumpy legs, the dome-like entity waddled towards them.

"You actually managed to create them!" Orochimaru gasped, bending down to scoop up the creature. "Amazing!"

"Thank you, Master." Shin replied as Orochimaru examined the creature with all the joy of a young child given a new toy. "I only have a dozen of them at the moment and given our mission, I chose to have most of them placed near where the Jinchuuriki are known to live."

"They seem to use an integrated _genjutsu_ to hide…" Orochimaru mused, turning the creature back upright and placing it gently on the ground, allowing it to waddle back to its former location. "Magnificent."

"Kabuto's aid was quite useful in overcoming several problems I had encountered in trying to create them." Shin demurred.

"He is rather gifted, isn't he?" Orochimaru agreed. "So, any other tricks you have with these?"

"Yes." Shin smirked. "I can use them as a means of transportation."

Orochimaru cocked an eyebrow at him. "So, you stand on them as they move?"

Shin's smirk widened. "No, Master. You remember how Obito can teleport?"

Orochimaru stared at him for a long moment, then his expression turned into a grin as predatory as Shin's.

"Shin, don't tell _anyone_ about that." He commanded, then he looked round at his four guards. "The same goes for you as well."

"Yeah, like we want to end up like Tayuya." The six-armed one grumbled almost inaudibly.

"Exactly." Orochimaru purred.

.

Fu finished chattering to Kurama and looked around at her audience.

"Sorry, Fu didn't mean to ignore you. Fu was just happy to meet Chomei's big brother."

"I… think we got that." Naruto managed, pulling his shattered concentration back together. "So, since Kurama's told you why we're here, what's your decision?"

Fu's face fell. "Fu would love to come with you, but Fu can't." She sighed.

"But…" Naruto started before his eyes widened. "The seal that Suien mentioned. It's more than a control seal, isn't it?"

Fu nodded slowly and Kakashi leaned forwards. "Fu, I've studied under the Fourth Hokage and _his_ Sensei, I'm more than adequate with _fuuinjutsu_. Naruto isn't as advanced, but he understands it almost intuitively. If you let us see the seal that Suien uses to control you, we may be able to find a way to negate it."

.

"Negate it?" Orochimaru asked curiously and Shin nodded, ignoring the Sound Four who had taken position in the trees around them with the exception of Guren, who had created a crystal dome for them to talk in, a dome that shielded them from any sensor-nin.

"They think there's a tracking Seal on the Jinchuuriki, possibly linked to a suicide one so if she gets beyond a certain distance from the one controlling her, the Seal activates and kills her."

"Meaning that the Nanabi would take several years to reform, placing the plan on hold until it does." Orochimaru nodded in understanding. "Well, far be it for little old me to interrupt them while they're removing that Seal."

Shin stared at him in confusion. "We're _not_ striking while they're distracted, Master?"

"And have the Takigakure shinobi track us down in order to reclaim their weapon?" Orochimaru countered. "There is a reason that Takigakure has official treaties with all of the Great Five, Shin. They may not have many shinobi, but should they choose to use the substance known as Hero's Water, a Taki Genin can defeat even a Tokubetsu Jonin. Imagine what a Taki _Jonin_ could do…"

Shin blinked, then shivered slightly.

"No, we're waiting for them to remove the Seal, _then_ we'll swoop in and leave with her., using one of your remote viewing creatures… what _do_ you call them, anyway?"

"I… hadn't really considered it." Shin admitted after several moments of thought. "Watchers?"

"As good a name as any, I suppose." Orochimaru sighed. "Anyway, we use your Watchers to escape, leaving the Konoha Shinobi unable to follow us and in position to take the wrath of the Taki Shinobi."

"An excellent plan, Master." Shin said and Orochimaru smirked.

"I know, Shin. I know."

.

Hinata looked on the verge of tears as she stared at the Seal that had been literally carved into Fu's upper back.

"This isn't good." Naruto finally stated. "If it was applied normally, I could counter it, but by actually _cutting_ it like that… dammit!"

"Fu was unconscious when they did it." Fu offered, glancing at Hinata. "Fu doesn't remember more than waking up with a very sore back."

"Yeah…" Naruto grumbled, glancing at Kakashi. "Okay, I see two choices here. Jiraiya…"

"Or Uncle Gama." Kurama finished.

"It'll take a _lot_ of chakra to summon him and if we try to take Fu there, the Seal will activate since it's out of range." Naruto sighed. "Ero-Sennin."

"Ero-Sennin." Kakashi agreed, his voice lacking any humor. "Can you fetch him?"

"He'll need time to prepare." Naruto replied. "Fu… I hate to do this, but it's getting dark and the person who _can_ help you will need light to work in."

"Fu understands." Fu said as she accepted her top from Hinata and shrugged it on, then pulled her red backpack over. "Fu will come back tomorrow, yes?"

"We'll have a full meal waiting for you." Naruto said as he pulled out a small scroll and unrolled it. Fu's eyes widened as several small loaves of bread appeared. "Here, these rolls contain sausage baked into them."

"Thank you." Fu smiled, grabbing the rolls. "Fu and Chomei will see you tomorrow!"

.

"Well, looks like we're camping out." Orochimaru sighed. "Guren, shatter this dome, we're moving further from Taki so that their patrols won't stumble on us."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

"Shin, after this mission, we'll need more Watchers. One for every one of my covert outposts at the very least."

"Yes, Master."

.

* * *

.

A flash of light illuminated the subterranean hideout and announced the arrival of Konoha's premier _fuuinjutsu_ practitioner.

"Not a bad setup." He mused, looking around critically. "However, I think I can improve it, especially if I'm to perform another of my Sealing miracles."

"We need to remain covert." Kakashi noted and Jiraiya gave him a gimlet stare. "Sorry."

"While we're waiting," Jiraiya said as he unsealed his supplies, "Sensei asked you to be ready in case he needs you. He shouldn't, but just in case."

Naruto cocked an inquisitive eyebrow and Jiraiya gave a small chuckle. "He and his son are finally getting their family relationship sorted out, by going on a mission along with the rest of Asuma's team. They're escorting the famous actress Fujikaze Yukie to the Land of Snow to film her latest Princess Gale movie."

"Where is the Land of Snow?" Naruto wondered and Jiraiya slapped a map down.

"Just there." He pointed. "Once we're done here and Sensei sends word that they've finished filming, I'm hiring you to send me to Sensei's side. I _really_ have to talk to Yukie about making an _Icha Icha_ movie and it'll let him teach you a few new tricks."

"I liked her films." Hinata spoke up from the corner where she was preparing breakfast, the smoke from the small fire vanishing into a chimney that Kakashi had created using a _doton_ Jutsu. "Can I come?"

"I volunteer to help." Kakashi interjected with one of his eye-smiles. "This means we can use the Guard version, which takes less chakra."

Jiraiya blinked, then frowned at Kakashi.

"Takes less chakra _per person using it_." The Jonin corrected himself.

"What does?" Fu asked from the entrance, then she stared at the Toad Sage. "Fu wants to know who the old man is?"

"Old man?" Jiraiya mourned, tears seeming to flow down his cheeks. "I'm in the _prime_ of my life!"

"Face it, Ero-sennin, you're old." Naruto said and Jiraiya dismissed the tear- _genjutsu_ in favor of glaring at his godson.

"Not old."

"Vote!"

Hinata raised her hand, as did Kakashi.

"Traitors." Jiraiya grumped as Fu giggled. "Alright, once you've had breakfast, let me look at the Seal and I'll see what I can do."

.

"Something's happening." Shin said quietly, causing the other five to look at him curiously. "Kakashi's moved out of their hideout and is on guard… I'll have to have my Watcher back away from him. If he uses his _sharingan_ , he'll be able to see through the Watcher's _genjutsu_."

"Interesting that they have _Kakashi_ on lookout duty." Orochimaru mused. "Obviously, Naruto is far more skilled in _fuuinjutsu_ than I thought. Fortunately, I seriously doubt that he'll be anywhere near Jiraiya's level."

.

* * *

.

The lines of ink that covered Fu's back, limbs and three-quarters of the cavern started to glow and writhe as Jiraiya, Shima and Fukasaku knelt around Fu, concentrating hard. The now-glowing runes flowed inwards, briefly covering Fu's back and the small blank scroll that lay unrolled from her shoulders to her knees, then Fu gasped in pain as the scroll darkened with a complex pattern of reddish ink forming on it.

"Done!" Fukasaku gasped and Jiraiya reached out to snag the scroll, tossing it into the air with a flick of the wrist that caused it to roll up. As the scroll arced through the air, all eyes were on Fu's back, which was bereft of any trace of the Seal that had once been carved into her flesh.

"Naruto, take this scroll and have a clone place it in Fu's den." Jiraiya ordered, only to see the scroll snapped out of the air by Kurama.

"I'll do it." The nine-tailed kitsune said around the scroll clamped in his jaws. "I can find the den easily, then I'll simply dispel and Naruto can re-summon me."

Kurama didn't wait for a reply, but he simply vanished out of the cave.

"Fu… is free?"

"Apparently so." Kakashi said from the entrance. "So, a little while to recover, then will you join us in Konoha?"

"Fu will!"

.

"Looks like they're done, Master." Shin reported. "A clone of… of the _Kyuubi_ just exited the cave holding an oddly-glowing scroll."

"Really? How odd. Well since they've sorted out the problem, let's go and say hello." Orochimaru said, motioning for Guren to shatter the barrier and the Sound Four to form up. "After all, it is the neighborly thing to do…"

.

* * *

.

"This is **not good."**

"Tobi agrees."


	54. A Chunin And A Snake

"Fu is so _happy_!" The green-haired girl caroled as she sprang out of the concealed entrance and into the small clearing. "Chomei says she is happy too! Fu and Chomei are so lucky to have met you!"

"I'm glad to hear that." Naruto laughed as he and Hinata emerged from the den and leaned against each other while Fu danced around the clearing.

"Someone's enjoying freedom." Kakashi snarked as he remained leaning against the root that partially-concealed the entrance to the den and Naruto blinked.

"Kurama's just placed the scroll. Fu, the choice is yours."

Fu blinked as she halted mid-dance. Still balanced on one foot, she turned to face Naruto.

"Fu doesn't understand. Surely you want Fu to go with you?"

"We do," Hinata explained, "But only if you _want_ to come with us. You're _free_ now, if you want to go elsewhere, we won't stop you."

Fu frowned. "But… Fu has never been anywhere else before. Fu doesn't think she could make it anywhere else…"

"Suien has a _lot_ to answer for." Kakashi ground out. "He didn't even give you basic training?"

"Suien say that as long as Fu can tap Chomei's power, that enough." Fu sighed. "Chomei has taught Fu a bit, but Fu not know how to do many things other people do."

"We'll be happy to teach you." Kakashi offered. "If you want to."

"Actually, I think she's going elsewhere." A familiar voice purred and Naruto gave the new arrival a shocked look even as Hinata activated her _byakugan_.

"The one with the extra eyes is behind the tree next to him and there are three… no, _four_ others… three males and a female… one of the males is _odd_ , he's almost like _two_ people in one…"

"I think that's enough." Orochimaru said as he stepped forwards, raising his sword. "Now, the Nanabi's host is coming with _us_. Don't worry, Naruto, I'll return with the others and collect _you_ later."

"I can't allow you to do that." Naruto stated, then his eyes widened as a crystalline sound echoed around them.

"Thank you, Guran." Orochimaru smirked as the sky above was occluded by a climbing dome, turning the dawn sky into an interlocking barrier of triangles and hexagons. "We've been working on this trick for a while now, using an old sword to test it. As long as the dome's up, your _Hiraishin_ is blocked and the dome's reinforced so it can't be broken."

" _Fuck_." Naruto whispered as his senses once again reported the absence of the hundreds of _hiraishin_ beacons that he had adjusted to detecting. "Not good."

Orochimaru's smirk widened as four others joined him, one of whom was the _sharingan_ user that Naruto recognized from their previous encounter. The other three were a giant of a man, a man with six arms and one who looked like he had a second head protruding from the back of his neck.

"Well, this isn't good." Kakashi agreed, pulling his _Hitai-ate_ up to reveal his own _sharingan_. "The chakra flowing through that thing looks… odd. I _know_ I've seen something like… he's blocked the use of summons."

"Very good." Orochimaru congratulated him. "I _do_ so enjoy having intelligent enemies."

"It means you've lost most of your snake techniques as well." Kakashi countered and Orochimaru shrugged as strange markings began to snake across the skin of the three unknowns.

"With my Sound Four helping me, that won't be a problem." He replied. "Now, host of the Nanabi, you may as well come qietly or things will get… violent."

Fu stared at him and began edging towards the Konoha shinobi.

"Well, let's do this." Orochimaru said.

"Hell yeah." The six-armed man gloated as he stepped forwards, the markings growing across his face like unfurling fronds. "This'll be _fun_!"

"Beating down the trash." The large one grunted, lines of triangles appearing on him.

"The red-eye looks _interesting_." The two-headed one mused, his thin lips spreading in a grin.

"Kidomaru, take the Hyuuga. Jirobo, bash the blond. Sakon, you have Hataki. Shin, grab the girl."

The four moved forwards, then leapt aside as a barrage of rocks erupted from the den, followed by a white-haired figure.

"Jiraiya?!"

"Hello, Oro." Jiraiya growled at the gobsmacked Sannin. "Let's see if I can repeat what Sensei did, but _permanently_!"

.

"What?!"

Tobi shifted slightly and glanced at the plant-man next to him.

"The Sanbi **has dispersed.** It'll be a while before it reforms. **About three years, maybe four."**

"Damn." Pein muttered. "We cannot hope to hold a single Jinchuuriki for that long, let alone all of the other eight, and the statue will not hold the essence without damage for that period either. We have to delay the plan until it reforms. Pass the word to the others. Until I recall them, they can pursue their own plans."

"Tobi will do that. Tobi is a good boy!"

From beside Pein, Konan watched the masked man warp away.

"I don't trust him, Nagato." She stated quietly.

"He is necessary. Leave it at that."

.

Hinata spun and deflected the spray of oddly-golden kunai that Kidomaru threw at her, deflecting them so that two of them hit Jirobo. Naruto took advantage of the larger man's brief distraction to summon a dozen clones, half of whom promptly attacked using _rasengan_ s while the others moved to distract the other Sound-nin. One of the clones was dispelled almost instantly by Orochimaru, who barely avoided the hair-senbon attack launched at him by Jiraiya. The senbon flew past him and Sakon had to leap away from Kakashi in order to avoid being impaled on them, his move causing him to collide with Shin and preventing him from grabbing Fu.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called and the real Naruto somersaulted to him, grabbed him and then suddenly there were another half-dozen _sharingan_ users. A second later, the number of _byakugan_ users also increased and three of them darted out of the clearing.

"Where are _they_ off to?" Jirabi shouted before pulling a stone slab up to block the incoming _rasengan_ barrage.

"Who cares?!" Orochimaru shouted back as his sword bounced off Jiraiya's defensive hair-shield. "Probably trying to find a way to break the… oh shit. Guren!"

.

"Why do _they_ get to have all of the damned fun." Grumbled the woman with the spiky blue hair as she concentrated on maintaining the dome. " _I_ want to help kill Lord Orochimaru's enemies. Instead… I get _guard_ duty. Why?"

"Guren!"

Orochimaru's warning echoed through the trees and Guren looked round, then yelped and threw herself sideways to avoid the strike aimed at her chest. A second blow from behind deadened her left arm and she stumbled away from the wall of crystal as a _third_ attacker emerged from behind one of the trees.

"…the hell?" She gasped, looking at the trio of identical girls, _byakugan_ blazing with determination.

"Surrender now." One of them demanded and Guren laughed as she flexed the fingers of her right hand.

"Surrender? Why should I when I can _Shoton: Shuriken Ranbu_!"

The sudden attack managed to dispel one of the attackers, but the other two dodged it, one by spinning behind a tree, which took the brunt of the wave of crystal projectiles, while the other _kawarimi_ 'd with a log, letting the wooden replacement take the piercing attack. Guren shifted, the light refracting along her skin for an instant.

"It's just a matter of time before I kill the original you." She stated, looking round for any sign as to where the two remaining attackers had vanished. "Make it easy on yourself… "

A brief flicker of motion caught her attention and an instant later, a long lance of crystal lanced out from her out-thrust fist, ripping the tree that the movement had come from in half and sending the upper part crashing to the ground. As the lance shattered, Guren took a couple of steps forwards and looked round, the light refracting off her once again.

"Where are you…?"

In front of her, one of the girls stepped out, standing in a stance she had never seen before and Guren raised her fist, then gasped in shock as a series of strikes shattered the crystal armor that she had layered over her skin, removing her ability to move in the same attack. As she fell, she spotted the girl who had defeated her standing exactly where the pierced log had been.

" _Kawarimi_ …" She croaked in understanding. "Damn…"

.

Kidomaru growled as he activated the second stage of his curse mark, covering himself with golden armor in an attempt to block the near-constant barrage of _Jyuuken_ strikes that had cost him the use of four of his arms. As he prepared to attack, something hit his armor, making it ring like a bell.

"Yes!" one of Narutos shouted in glee. "Good to go! Originals to me!"

Kidomaru looked up, then threw himself sideways as a giant blade of crystal sliced into the ground where he had just been standing. A rumbling announced that Jirobu had created a shelter against the sharp rain even as flashes of light refracted from the falling shards.

"Damn." Orochimaru grumbled as he watched the nearly-transparent blades shred the vegetation outside the shelter. "So close. Sakon, remind me to leave someone to protect Guren the next time we use this strategy."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

The rain of shards petered out and Orochimaru nodded.

"Someone collect Guren." He ordered as Kidomaru rose from the pile of crystal that had covered him. "Well, this could have gone worse."

"Who are you and what have you done to our weapon?" A new voice barked and Orochimaru looked at the newcomer.

"I don't have time for this." He grumbled as the blade of his sword lanced out, spearing the belligerent shinobi through the heart. "Anyone know who that was?"

"Dunno, but that's a cool bandanna." Jirobu grunted, pulling the greenish cloth from the corpse's head.

"Sir, I have her!" Kidomaru called as he re-appeared, Guren slung over his shoulder and then he paused, his gaze fixed on something just behind Orochimaru.

"Tobi wonders if this is a bad time…"

.

A young genin watched from behind a tree as the group that had killed his tutor vanished, then he headed back to Takigakure.

The Elders needed to know that the rogue-nin Orochimaru had stolen Taki's living weapon.

.

* * *

.

"Urrrgh." Naruto managed as he collapsed onto the settee.

"Good work, Naruto." Jiraiya congratulated him. "Fu, welcome to Konoha. Once Naruto's recovered, I'm sure he'll try to teach you how to manifest Chomei like he can manifest Kurama."

As if the sentence had summoned him, Kurama appeared in a cloud of Chakra smoke.

"Thanks." He said to Naruto, who murmured something indecipherable before closing his eyes. "Hmmmm, Hinata, could you…?"

"I got this." Kakashi said, carefully picking Naruto up and carrying him up the stairs, Hinata following him worriedly. "He looks okay, but he made a _lot_ of clones _and_ Jumped us all back. I think he just needs some rest."

"In the meantime, how about I introduce you to Tsunade." Jiraiya offered and Fu turned to look at him questioningly. "She has been waiting to meet you and welcome you to Konoha."

"Fu wonders who this Tsunade is."

"She's my old team-mate and now the Godaime Hokage." Jiraiya smiled. "And I think you'll enjoy meeting her."

.

Tsunade stood in the operating theater, the green chakra dissipating from around her hands as she finished her exam.

"You… done?" The Kunoichi on the table asked and Tsunade nodded.

"You have quite a bit of chakra-scarring on your first two Gates, something I've never actually seen before, but it shouldn't interfere with anything you do, so long as you _don't_ try to open them. Other than that, nothing that some rest and good nutrition can't fix."

The kunoichi gave a tired smile, then glanced to the side where the scroll that had held her during transit via one of Konoha's messenger hawks lay crumpled in the corner.

"Of course, we will need you to undergo a full debriefing, especially on how you managed to escape from Sound." Tsunade continued. "After that… if you want to join Konoha's forces, then we'll accept you."

"Not sure how strong I am." The Kunoichi admitted. "Used that damned Seal whenever things started getting dangerous. Without it…"

Tsunade nodded in understanding as an ANBU materialized. After a brief, near-silent conversation, she turned back to the bed-ridden ninja.

"I need to go and meet another newcomer." She explained. "Rest up, you'll need it. Don't worry, Ibiki's been told not to use the hostile interrogation techniques on you."

"Thank you… Hokage-sama."

"You are welcome… Tayuya."


	55. A Chunin In the Snow

"Interesting news!" Jiraiya called as he almost danced through the door of Naruto's house, surprising the duo who were having breakfast while their various clones performed chores. "Naruto, you're safe for several years."

Naruto swallowed his mouthful of food even as he lifted an inquisitive eyebrow.

"You remember that the Mizukage couldn't attend the finals because she was recruiting a Jinchuuriki back into their ranks?" Jiraiya asked and Naruto nodded. "Well, the other one, the _former_ Mizukage Yagura, fled when his forces were destroyed. The Mist shinobi found him and engaged him in combat, but he blew himself up. Probably accidentally, he tried to use a tidal wave while surrounded by lava."

Both teens winced at the mental image.

"Anyway, the Sanbi dispersed and is going to take several years to reform and so according to my source, the Akatsuki have temporarily ceased their attempts to claim the Biju." Jiraiya finished. "In the meantime, we can train you up to Jonin standards and, if there's enough time, maybe even turn you into a Sage in a couple of years."

"A Sage? Does that mean he'll become as perverted as you, Jiraiya-sama?" Hinata asked innocently, causing Jiraiya's jaw to drop while Naruto fought down near-hysterical laughter. For a long moment, Jiraiya stared speechlessly at Hinata, then he shook his head.

"I… you… wha…"

"I think you broke him, Hime-chan." Naruto commented as soon as he could trust himself not to burst out laughing. Hinata simply smiled demurely, then returned her attention to the cinnamon bun in her hands.

"Bu… wha… wow." Jiraiya managed to pull himself back together. "Wow, that was one heck of a… wow. Just wow. I never knew you had such a wicked sense of humor."

Hinata gave him an innocent smile, causing him to roll his eyes.

.

* * *

.

"Hokage-sama." Danzo said with a slight bow as he limped into the office. "You summoned me?"

"I did." Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair as she looked at her Sensei's old friend and rival. "Before he and Team Ten left on their escort mission, Sensei informed me about your covert group, Root."

Danzo paused. "I…"

"He allowed it as long as it did not act against Konoha." Tsunade continued, her voice icy. "However, I'm not as trusting as Sensei, so I had Jiraiya do some spying for me."

Danzo froze and Tsunade motioned for him to sit.

"Your training methods are designed to remove all emotion and turn your shinobi into tools." Tsunade stated, her voice colder than any _hyoton_ jutsu. "However, this leaves your troops incapable of compensating should a mission go outside the parameters that they have prepared for. Koharu and Hamora actually _fought_ during Orochimaru's attack on Konoha. Where were _you_?"

Danzo opened his mouth, then closed it as Tsunade fixed him with a harsh stare.

"The friendship you and Sensei had was the primary reason that he did not reign in your little _foundation_." Tsunade ground out. "In addition, possessing a shinobi department that doesn't _officially_ exist is a very powerful weapon if used correctly. The problem is… you have _not_ been using it correctly, as the Amegakure situation has amply demonstrated."

Danzo blinked.

"Why the _hell_ did you try to support the Salamander?! Especially after all the work Jiraiya put into his three students!" Tsunade snarled, leaning forwards to transfix the suddenly-nervous elder with a gimlet stare. For a long moment, the office was silent, then Tsunade slowly leaned back into the embrace of her chair.

"Since it is _you_ who are responsible for the formation of the criminal group known as the Akatsuki thanks to your providing aid to Hanzo against their original leadership, I have decided that you will be stripped of your leadership of Root and reassigned to the Archives. Before you protest, I have arranged for new leaders to take over and bring your puppets up to the standards of true shinobi of Konoha. ENTER!"

Danzo couldn't form any words as the door behind him opened and two people who had once been his allies walked up to stand by his side.

"You summoned us, Hokage-sama?" Koharu said calmly, ignoring the suddenly-fuming Danzo.

.

* * *

.

"Kakashi!"

Kakashi paused in the middle of his exercises as Naruto flashed into existence.

"Jiji's tag just pulsed!" He half-shouted. "Hinata's almost ready, my clones are rounding up reinforcements to follow!"

Kakashi blinked, then nodded. "I'm ready now."

"One of my clones dispelled." Naruto said, grabbing Kakashi's shoulder. "Hinata'll meet us there and… now!"

The duo vanished in a flash of light.

.

"Bugger."

Naruto blinked in surprise. The heartfelt exclamation was _not_ what he had expected upon making a _Hiraishin_ jump into a high-risk environment. Neither was the lack of shouting, the absence of the clash of weapons or the oddly missing explosions denoting high-powered jutsus.

"Ah, Naruto." Hiruzen smiled as he emerged onto the deck of the ship where Naruto, Kakashi and Hinata were looking round in confusion. "It would seem that while checking his team's weapons, _someone_ fumbled the kunai… literally."

"Yeah… sorry." Asuma sighed as he pulled the tri-blade kunai out of the deck, looking ruefully at the gouge it had made. "I was testing its balance and... yeah."

"Hey, Hinata!" Ino called as she raced across to give Hinata a hug. "This is _amazing_ … but watch out for Fujikaze Yukie… she's a great actress, but she's… yeah. Think Ami."

Hinata stared at Ino. "She's _that_ bad?"

Ino nodded, then grinned. "Hey, you _gotta_ see the view from the crow's nest! Come on!"

Ino turned and ran to, then _up_ the mast. A moment later, her voice echoed down.

"Iceberg to the right… I mean starboard!"

"Aha!" A new voice exclaimed. "We can shoot one of the scenes there! Make for the iceberg!"

"I've never seen a film being shot before." Hinata mused, then she looked at Naruto. "What was with those clones?"

"Just sending back an all-clear." Naruto grinned. "So, Fujikaze Yukie… I really enjoyed all three of her Princess Gale films…"

"Hinata! Come on!"

Hinata looked up to where Ino was waving to her.

"Let's go." Naruto laughed. "I wonder how far we'll be able to see and… oh. Gai-san just sent me a message via my clone…"

"Gai?" Hinata asked curiously. "What does he want?"

.

"So nice to meet more Shinobi from Konoha." The elderly man who had been introduced as Asama Sandayu smiled as around them, the film crew were moving snow around, setting up cameras and positioning reflective sheets of metal to enhance the illumination. "I must say, though, I wasn't expecting to host so many…"

"Yosh!" Gai grinned as he put down a giant reflector that three people had been struggling to move earlier. "A chance to watch the creation of one of Fujikaze-sama's most youthful films? How could we say no?"

"Plus, it is good training!" Lee agreed.

The three smaller figures standing beside Lee, clad in thick (albeit green) jumpsuits, hats and gloves for warmth all nodded in agreement while behind them, Neji rolled his eyes and Sakura tried hard not to giggle.

"Alright!" Sandayu called as he looked approvingly at the setup. "All not involved, behind that line, please! Crews to your stations and someone smooth the snow!"

"I've got that." Kakashi said, his hands flashing through a set of seals, then he thrust his hands forwards, unleashing a gentle breeze that caused the snow to rise slightly before falling down again, all footprints and traces of movement erased.

"Okay, silence on the set, shooting in five! Four! Three!"

As the countdown went silent, Yukie seemed to change without moving a single muscle. One instant, she was a bitter, angry women, then she was a forlorn but optimistic Princess wading through the snow to meet a warrior who could help her regain her birthright.

The actor who was playing the heroic Ronin sat cross-legged on a stone (which was actually fake, Naruto had helped to place it), meditating as Princess Gale approached. When she drew close, he opened his eyes and looked at her.

Hinata leaned into Naruto's side as the scene played out with Princess Gale appealing to Hirokin's sense of honor and duty. After a while, Hirokin bowed to her and the duo started to walk back the way that Princess Gale had come.

"Aaaaand cut!" Sandayu shouted, looking ecstatic. " _Yes_! Nailed it! Perfect on the first take! Alright everyone, back to the boat!"

.

"That's the former Hokage!" The armored shinobi peering through a telescope at the distant group hissed. "Even _with_ our chakra armor, we'd be hard-pushed to go up against him on his own, let alone with all those other ninja!"

"Doto-sama won't like this." The lone kunoichi of the tro murmured and the purple-haired man glanced at her before turning his attention back to the telescope.

"He'd like it even less if we went up against them and lost." He retorted. "We're falling back. That seal you placed on top of their mast last night means that we won't lose them, but with any luck, Doto will be able to get a few more shinobi to help us. There's no way I'm going up against the God Of Shinobi, not without a _lot_ of backup…"

.

* * *

.

"You know that we were being watched, right?" Shikamaru yawned after Gai and his students had been _hiraishin_ ed back to Konoha the the ship had set sail once more.

"Three shinobi, two males and a female." Hiruzen said from where he was carefully placing tobacco into his pipe. "Their chakra signatures were… unusual, they were using something to augment themselves. One of them placed a tracking Seal on top of the main mast last night, I believe it was the Kunoichi."

"Dad, why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Asuma half-complained as Hiruzen used a fire jutsu to light his pipe.

"I had one of Naruto's clones look at it while they were filming." Hiruzen continued, pulling a small tag out of his kunai pouch. "He transferred it to this tag, meaning that we can make it seem like we're somewhere completely different whenever we want. It's a design I don't recognize, I'll have Jiraiya look at it later."

"Ni-iiice." Shikamaru drawled. "So, who do you think they were after?"

"Fujikaze." Kakashi said firmly from where he was leaning against the mast, his uncovered eye scanning the horizon. "Snow Shinobi… what the hell was Sanduya _thinking_?"

"He's a former Samurai, you know." Asma mused, earning a surprised look from Kakashi. "What? The way that he stands, that's the _Third Stance_ of the _Sword Of Protection_. Only Samurai who spend most of their career as bodyguards know _that_ stance on a reflex level, and he does."

Kakashi cursed under his breath, causing everyone to look at him.

"I've just placed his accent, he's from Snow as well. What's the bet that he's trying to smuggle her in to spark a popular uprising?"

"I think we need to have a _talk_ with Sanduya." Hiruzen grumbled as he stood up. "Asuma, I'm taking control as Konoha's plenipotentiary."

"Understood, Jonin Sarutobi." Asuma replied. "Choji, aft rail. Ino, bow. Shikamaru, crow's nest. I need you watching out for anything odd."

"Naruto, leave a couple of clones here, then take this note back to Tsunade-sama and return with her reply." Kakashi said, scribbling a small note and rolling it up. "Hinata, base of the mast, use your _byakugan_ to check we're not being shadowed."

The four genin scrambled to take their designated posts as Naruto generated two clones before vanishing.

"Now, I think I need to talk to Yukie." Kakashi said. "She owes me for saving her before."

"The mission to Snow you never talked about?" Asuma asked and Kakashi nodded as they followed Hiruzen below-decks.

.

* * *

.

"I see." Doto said in a surprisingly calm voice. "This is… irritating."

The three shinobi shifted slightly under his gaze, but remained silent as they waited for their leader to continue.

"Although the return of my niece means that at last, I can find the treasure that my damned brother concealed before I killed him, having an army of shinobi with her means that she is obviously intending to sneak in under cover of being an actress and then striking at me. Perhaps, I need to launch the first strike."

Doto rose from his throne and moved to the window that provided a good view of the valley beyond Kazahana Castle's outer wall.

"Prepare the train to transport my forces from Yukigakure to the closest point to their expected landing point." He commanded. "And tell my technicians to expedite the second airship. I want it completed and ready to launch by the time my niece makes landfall."

"As you command, Daimyo." The purple-haired shinobi said.

"Yes, as I command." Doto smirked, looking out of the window. "As I command…"


	56. A Chunin And A princess

"Land ho! Land off the port bow!"

The lookout's call echoed down to the deck and Ino looked round with a frown.

"I don't see any land." She half-complained.

"The higher up you go, the further you can see." Kakashi said from where he was lying on the side of the mast, reading one of his _Icha Icha_ books while simultaneously practicing his chakra control. "You see, the whole world is a giant ball that pulls us onto its surface, so while it seems to be flat, it actually curves down in every direction. Didn't you cover that at the Academy?"

Ino scowled at the cyclopean Jonin, but refused to rise to his bait.

"So, what's the plan?" Kakashi asked as Hiruzen walked past on his way to the prow for a better look.

"Naruto and myself will take Fujikaze back to Konoha." Hiruzen said, glancing back at his successor's student. "Anko is good at disguise, we can hire her to act as Yukie's body double for a while, she'll pretend to be her until you get to the place where the filming is taking place, whereupon you can use the Kunai to tell us it's safe… or that you've been clumsy… and we'll return with her. It'll also allow me to talk to Tsunade about reforming Team Seven. She has some files she wants me to look at."

Kakashi nodded slightly and returned his attention to the book.

"I have no idea how you can read that crap." Ino grumbled as Yukie emerged onto the deck and paused, her eyes fixed on Kakashi's novel.

"Is that… _Icha Icha Traveller_?" She gasped and Kakashi stared at his empty hands while Asuma and his team gaped.

"She just… but… _how_?" Asuma gasped as Yukie started to read the interior of the book.

"It's signed by Jiraiya himself!" She gushed as Kakashi dropped to the deck, looking somewhat gobsmacked. "Wow!"

Kakashi sighed as he tapped her on the shoulder.

"If I arrange for you to get a full set signed by Jiraiya _and_ a meeting with him, can I have _my_ book back?"

Yukie blushed slightly as she relinquished the book back to its owner and Asuma shook his head.

"Just when you think you're starting to understand someone." He mourned.

.

* * *

.

"So," Yukie said as Naruto escorted her out of the Hokage tower and into Konoha proper, "This is Konoha… I'd expected… well, I _don't_ really know what I expected, but… it doesn't really look… _ninja_ -ish…"

"That's exactly how a ninja village should look." Naruto snarked, earning an eye-roll from the older woman. "According to Kosuke-Sempai, Konoha's the most civilian-like village because we make use of the support structure that civilians can provide, thus freeing up a higher percentage of our military forces for missions and security. Places like Kumo have virtually no civilian support, so they need to devote quite a bit of their effort to things like construction, retail, food supply, weapons creation and maintenance… that sort of thing."

"Sounds a bit like film-making." Yukie said after a thoughtful pause. "Most people never realize how much goes on behind the camera… finding places to shoot, assembling the sets, costume creation, script writing…"

"Speaking of scripts, I hear you may be interested in one of mine." A new voice purred and Naruto half-turned to see Jiraiya dropping into place by Yukie's side, the clone that had located him dispelling now that it was no longer needed.

"And you are?" Yukie asked, causing Jiraiya to skip ahead and drop into a Kabuki stance.

"I am the one that other men can only dream of being a pale reflection of, the man that all women want to be with. I am the writer of art and the purveyor of romance and excitement! I am the Sage of the Toads, the gallant Jiraiya!"

"Pervy-Sage, meet Fujikaze Yukie, professional actress." Naruto sighed. "Fujikaze-sama, this is Jiraiya of the Sannin, one of Hiruzen-sama's students and writer of the _Icha-Icha_ series of books."

Yukie blinked, then smiled. "Ah, so _you're_ the one Kakashi-san was talking about when he said he could arrange for me to meet the author."

Naruto sighed as Jiraiya puffed himself up. "Of course! But surely someone as beautiful as yourself deserves a more _mature_ guide to Konoha, someone who knows the _best_ restaurants…"

As he spoke, his hands flashed through a series of ANBU signs and Naruto nodded.

"Fujikaze-san, Jiraiya is one of the best shinobi in Konoha. You'll be safe with him."

"Thank you." Yukie said, placing her hand around Jiraiya's elbow. "So, if we visit a bookstore first, can I get some autographed books?"

"For a true fan, I keep first-edition hardbacks and I'll happily dedicate them to you as I sign them." Jiraiya smiled as he started to lead Yukie away. "Naruto, you go catch up with your fiancee, I'll use that kunai to call you if we need you."

Naruto nodded, then _reached_ out for a familiar tag and vanished.

.

"Back already?" Asuma asked as Naruto appeared on the deck of the boat, just behind Hinata who half-turned to smile at him before returning to the game of shogi that she was playing with Shikamaru. "And where's Anko?"

"She has to meet Fujikaze in order to be able to look like her, so I left several dozen clones behind to help her and transport her here when she's ready." Naruto said, watching as Hinata slid a tile forwards, causing Shikamaru to frown for a moment.

"Makes sense." Ino said from where she was polishing her kunai and shuriken. "We're going to make landfall in about four hours, according to the helmsman, so she needs to be ready by then."

Naruto made and popped a clone. "Message sent."

Asuma shook his head. "You still have no clue how much you've changed things, have you." He marveled. "Instant communication over any distance, reinforcements available in minutes rather than days… do you have any idea how much that changes the entire strategic map of the Elemental Nations?"

"Dad and I were discussing it just prior to this mission." Shikamaru commented as he slid a tile diagonally to block Hinata's impending assault. "He pointed out that should Naruto be able to teach Hinata how to do the one-person version, that means that he'll be able to teach their children, or anyone else they choose to take into their family, as well and before long, we'll have an entire clan of shinobi able to be virtually anywhere. The tactical and strategic advantages would put the combined capabilities of the Hyuuga and the former Uchiha clans in the shade.

"On the negative side, it does mean that until he figures out a way _to_ teach the one-person version, Naruto is going to be a priority target for those who don't want Konoha to be the strongest of the Villages. Incidentally, was it my imagination, or was the flash of light dimmer when you appeared?"

Naruto blinked a couple of times at the unexpected question.

"I… don't know."

"It could be that the flash is caused by leftover chakra." Shikamaru mused. "Most times that too much chakra is used in a technique, it tends to manifest as chakra smoke or a flash of light."

"My chakra control's pretty good." Naruto half-protested. "The Hyuuga clan allowed me to learn some of their techniques for chakra control."

Asuma's cigarette landed on the deck as he gaped at Naruto and Hinata nodded in confirmation.

"Damn." Naruto sighed as he created half a dozen clones. "I'm needed. Call me if you need me."

.

* * *

.

"An interesting team you have lined up for me… Tsunade-chan." Hiruzen said as he looked up from the trio of files.

"Mitokada Homora himself chose the boy for your team." Tsunade pointed out, leaning back in her chair and steepling her fingers. "I'm certain that you still trust your former team-mate when it comes to recognizing talent."

"I do still trust them, now that they have changed the path that they were following." Hiruzen replied calmly. "That is, after all, why I suggested assigning them to run _Ne_ instead of Danzo. How did he take it, anyway?"

"Not very well." Tsunade chuckled. "When I pointed out that Homora and Koharu had actually fought the Oto shinobi while he hid, thus making them far more trustworthy in my eyes, I thought he was about to have an embolism. They've given me a preliminary report and, kamis above, some of the shit that the old warhawk tried to pull… and less than half of it actually worked! The rest left Konoha in a worse position!"

Hiruzen nodded in agreement as he glanced at the files again.

"The second, I have no problems at all with, especially with the technique that she learned recently, but the third could be a problem. Her personality can be changed, but her current skill-set…"

"She _is_ rather overspecialized." Tsunade agreed. "Nevertheless, I think that you'll do just fine. All three are ready, when can you take them?"

"Once the mission to Snow has concluded." Hiruzen replied. "After all, you might need a plenipotentiary there to get some good deals on their technology. I have heard quite a few tales of what they have come up with."

"As have I." Tsunade agreed. "As have I."

.

"This isn't going to work." Anko grumbled as she looked up at the taller woman. "Oh, I can put some small platforms under my sandals to get the three inches needed, but that'll throw off the way I walk and the bodily proportions won't match either."

Naruto coughed slightly and Anko looked at him. "What?"

"I may be able to help… if you trust me." Naruto offered. "I'll need you to push some chakra into one of my techniques, however."

Anko's face suddenly lit up in understanding.

"Sure thing. After 'Nai-chan told me about this skill of yours, I wondered what it would be like."

.

Orochimaru fell off his throne, spasming in agony as his entire chakra system seemed to burn.

Fortunately, no-one else was in the room to see him slowly pull himself back onto his chair, his body twitching and shuddering with the after-effects of whatever had struck at his very soul.

.

* * *

.

A faint flicker of light was all that announced the appearance of Naruto and the person he was transporting as they appeared amidships on the top deck. Asuma lifted an inquisitive brow.

"I thought that you were bringing Anko, not Yukie-sama."

The woman with Naruto sniffed and stalked towards the stern of the ship, every movement screaming affronted dignity and Asuma watched her go, then caught Naruto's wide grin.

"That… that _was_ Anko, wasn't it?"

"Had to teach her _my_ version of the _Henge_." Naruto confirmed. "Odd thing, though, when I cloned her, something odd happened. She didn't tell me what, but after learning the _Henge_ , she ran off to the Hokage Tower for some reason, clutching her shoulder."

Asuma blinked. "Her… shoulder?"

"I didn't get it either." Naruto shrugged as he walked over to where Shikamaru was re-setting the Shogi board. "You win again, Shika?"

Shikamaru nodded and a puff of smoke heralded Kurama's appearance.

"Okay, let's do this." Kurama said as he flopped down opposite Shikamaru. "I'll beat you _this_ time!"

"Port in sight!" Ino called down from the top of the mast.

"Looks like we'll be landing in less than an hour." Asuma noted as he put his weapons away with quick, economical movements. You ready?"

.

"Sir, the second ship is ready and the train reports that it's moving to the port now."

"Excellent." Doto gloated as he looked out of the window at the bustling building below. "It is time for me to greet my errant niece… and reclaim the treasure that she had kept from me all these years."

Turning, Doto stalked through the door, the trio of armored shinobi trailing him. Guards and functionaries stepped aside, bowing deeply, as he descended the main staircase, then he walked across the Great Hall even as the doors were opened for him. Pausing in the entrance, he smirked at the sight before him, two giant airships, their underslung cabins fully manned and with Kunai launchers fixed into gimbals that let them swivel to unleash a rain of metallic death or be swung in for easy reloading.

"Prepare for departure!" One of the officers called as Doto approached the larger of the two airships. "Daimyo Kazehana is about to board!"

The smaller airship rose into an escort position as Doto walked up the gangplank. At the top, the Captain bowed deeply.

"Welcome aboard, Daimyo-sama. We are ready to depart on your command."


	57. A Chunin Attacked

The fenders squeaked slightly as sailors jumped onto the stone quay to wrap the hawsers around the posts provided for just that reason. Standing near the gap in the railings where the gangplank would be placed, Naruto glanced round curiously.

"You know," He said slowly, "Given the size of the harbor, I was expecting a larger town."

"It does look rather small." Kakashi agreed as he stepped up to stand beside Naruto with Anko (still disguised as Yukie) beside him. "Barely fifty houses, and one of those is… does it even qualify _as_ a hotel? It looks like an inn with a couple of extra rooms slapped on."

A couple of sailors bustled past and dropped the gangplank into the socket that held the upper end, the lower end bouncing onto the stone walkway below. Naruto glanced round, then vaulted the railing, landing by the bottom of the plank. A brief cloud of smoke later and a dozen Narutos were running towards the small town.

"I don't currently see anything suspicious." Hinata said, the veins around her eyes bulging. "Odd… there's some metal… I'm not sure _what_ they are. Lines of metal with chakra flowing through them… melting the snow covering them. Like… it's like the poles of a ladder with really thick wooden rungs…"

"Odd." Kakashi mused. "Naruto, can one of your clones take a closer look? Naruto?"

"Kakashi… what sort of birds are those?" Naruto asked, pointing to two small-but-growing dots. Kakashi raised his Hitai-ate briefly, shook his head and took another look.

"They're not birds." He said in disbelief. "They look like… I don't know _what_ they look like. Floating lanterns with a boat underneath?"

"Cool." Naruto said, still squinting at the incoming dots. "You know, this gives them the high ground and if they drop exploding kunai from up there…"

"Oh… shit!" Kakashi cursed. "Abandon ship! Now!"

"I can always take them to Konoha." Naruto pointed out, only to go silent as Kakashi gave him a _look_. Behind them, the startled sailors and film-crew moved with surprising discipline, hurling bags onto the quay and chivying Anko-as-Yukie down the gangplank. As she reached the bottom of the plank, Sandayu appeared.

"Naruto!" He shouted. "Get Yukie-sama to Konoha! It's Doto and he's after her!"

"What's that?" Hinata called and everyone looked at the ridge above the town where a line of elongated carriages was slowing to a stop. For a moment, the carriages remained still, then the sides opened up to reveal shinobi stood behind odd contraptions.

"Kunai launchers." Kakashi mused. "But larger than any I've seen before and the handles on the side…"

A metallic sound behind them caused them to look at the sailors and film-crew who were opening the bags and donning samurai armor that they were taking out from them.

"Oh hell." Naruto groaned. " _Please_ tell me they aren't going to try and attack the shinobi with the kunai launchers and high ground advantage."

"Send them back, Naruto." Kakashi sighed as he pulled out a tri-blade kunai. "I'll plant this, then you and Hinata join me. See if Hiruzen wants to join in too, will you?"

Naruto nodded and fifty clones formed in a cloud of smoke.

.

Doto looked out from the wheelhouse of his aerial flagship as the boat erupted with activity even as the train pulled into position to wipe out the intruders with a single barrage.

"Contact the train and remind them that I need the princess _alive_." He instructed. "As for the others… kill them and feed their bodies to the sharks."

"As you command, Daimyo-sama!" The radio-nin responded as he hunched over his equipment. A moment later, he looked up. "They're ready to open fire, my Lord, and they report that the villagers have got out of their firing lines."

"And why should I care if a few stupid peasants get killed? The breed so fast that within a year or so, it'll be like none ever died." Doto scowled. "Prepare our weapons, we will open fire as soon as we are within range, tell the train to do the same."

"The actress has been located, my lord!" The lookout called, peering through the telescope. "She's being rushed to the town hall… no, they've stopped"

"Prepare the grappling claws and deployment ropes." Doto commanded. "All will bear witness to whom the rightful ruler of the Land of Snow is."

"Within range, turning to clear port broadside." The Helmsman said as the cabin tilted.

"Firing!" The weapons officer shouted.

.

"That is a _lot_ of Kunai." Naruto mused as the film crew who had been forming up to charge the train froze in shock, staring at the multiple waves of sharp metal arcing through the air at them.

"Interesting, they use boxes of kunai in those launchers and can switch them within three seconds." Kakashi said, his sharingan eye spinning slightly as he used it to focus on the larger of the two airships. "Evac them now."

The clones that had been running behind the would-be-liberators grabbed their targets and vanished, then Naruto placed his hands in a seal that Kakashi vaguely recognized. The portion of the kunai barrage headed for them suddenly changed course and clattered harmlessly almost twenty meters away.

"You've got better with those _futon_ techniques." Kakashi congratulated the chunin as a second wave of Kunai curved away from them.

"It takes a bit of concentration, but Asuma-sempai was insistent it would help in large-scale combat." Naruto explained as a _third_ wave of kunai wandered off target. "He pointed out that with my skill-set, I'm far more likely to be part of large-scale operations rather than small one-on-one missions where most of my skills wouldn't be all that usable."

"You are able to fill a startling number of support functions." Kakashi admitted, keeping an eye on the approaching airships. "Any chance you could force those things to crash-land?"

"Sorry, Kakashi." Naruto apologized as once again the air around them shielded them, "I've got the shielding technique down, but something like _that_? Sorry, I don't see how I could do that… it'd require me to learn how to use the air like it was part of me… I don't think I could do that… although given the presence of natural chakra… perhaps a Sage could…"

Naruto broke off as a trio of shapes leapt out of the lead airship, gliding down towards them.

"That looks chakra armor, but if it is, it's far more advanced than the last time I was here." Kakashi stated. "It does mean that most ninjutsu will be useless against them, as the armor absorbs external chakra."

"How much _can_ it absorb?" Naruto asked curiously. "I mean, it has to have some sort of upper limit, right?"

"There's a _fourth_ armor user still on the lead airship." Kakashi said, his uncovered _sharingan_ spinning as he focused. "I recognize him… _Doto_. The one who killed his brother in order to seize control of the Land of Snow."

"Well, that makes him a target." Naruto stated. "Everyone got their tagged kunai?"

A round of nods was his answer as the rain of kunai stopped, giving the three airborne shinobi a chance to land in front of them.

"Naruto, put a clone beside Yukie and get her to the end of the quay, it'll mean there'll be only one way to get to her, and we'll be in it." Kakashi said calmly. "If any of these three manage to get past us, then use your technique to teleport her to Konoha. Until then, keep her protected so that the watching villagers can see how brave she is. It'll be useful for when she takes over."

Naruto nodded as he created a clone and pretended to ignore Doto launching himself from the airship, diving and circling round to try and approach from behind.

He had obviously been listening in on the radio and spotted the opening left in the plan.

Just as Kakashi had predicted.

"So, if we get past, the clone removes the lost Princess, hmmm?" The leading armored shinobi mused. "How about a nice little competition, then. We win, and she never even _thinks_ about returning."

"You can't win." Kakashi smirked as Hinata dropped into her _Jyuuken_ stance and Naruto formed a _rasengan_.

"Kakashi, their armour is creating a chakra shield over their entire bodies!" Hinata called out and Kakashi's eyebrows rose.

"Interesting, that armor really _is_ advanced. But how long can the shield last… and how much damage can it block?"

"Why don't we find out?" The leader smirked as he lunged forwards.

.

Doto leveled off barely six feet above the ground as the arc of his journey placed the shacks that his subjects used as homes blocked him from his target's sight. A moment later, he was skimming over the waves, using the ship to cover his approach as he arced round, the chakra-infused wings of his armor giving him speed and agility that rivaled almost any bird.

A last turn let him see his target and her protector from behind and he fired the kunai-launcher on his left wrist. The one-shot launcher discharged, firing the kunai through the clone at almost the speed of sound, then he grabbed his errant niece and hurled himself into the air, her ineffectual struggles bouncing off his superior armor.

"This is Doto!" He barked into the microphone on his collar. "Open the landing bay and set course for the Crystal Lock, I have my niece and the key!"

.

"My clone just popped!" Naruto shouted as he ducked the attack launched at him, then he riposted with a wind blast that sent her spiraling into a nearby wall. As she picked herself up out of the rubble, Naruto hurled a kunai sideways, deflecting the flying gauntlet launched at Hinata by the largest of the trio. The gauntlet bounced off the ground before the cables attached to it reeled it back onto the giant's arm, just in time for him to use it to protect his face against a trio of _raiton_ -charged shuriken launched by Kakashi.

"Take them down so we can move against Doto!" Kakashi commanded as he grabbed the fist that had been aimed at his head, using the movement to hurl his adversary into a nearby snowdrift. Naruto started to nod, then launched a spinning kick that intercepted the armored kunoichi's tackle, sending her to one side.

"Their armor's chakra shield flickers!" Hinata called as she threw a senbon that pierced her adversary's ear, much to his horrified shock. "It's only for a fraction of a second, but a fast enough one-two could get through!"

Naruto delivered another chakra-enhanced spinning kick, mentally thanking Lee for all their sparring sessions that had allowed him to pick up quite a few high-powered taijutsu moves, then he ducked the angered kunoichi's return punch, rolling to one side.

"Do you _really_ think you can wi- _glrk_!"

The clone that she'd failed to notice appearing behind her spun, placing his shoulders against her back as he pulled tight the ninja-wire he had managed to loop around her neck, just above the line of the armor's collar. The woman clawed frantically at it, her fingers slowed by the effects of the chakra shield protecting her and Naruto watched her eyes roll up as she went limp.

"She's down."

The clone released her, letting her drop onto the ground and Naruto knelt to examine the armor.

"Looks like latches _here_ and _here_ , so if… yes!"

The armor opened up and Naruto's clone grabbed the kunoichi and vanished in a _Hiraishin_ to deposit her in one of the ANBU cells set aside for just that purpose. Looking round, he sighed as Kakashi pulled his hand out of the torso of his own adversary.

"You ruined his armor! We could have used that!"

"Um, oops?" Kakashi offered, totally unrepentant, then he glanced at Hinata, who was standing above the screaming form of her own opponent.

"What did you _do_ to him, Hinata?" Naruto gasped and Hinata blushed slightly.

"He wasn't wearing a cup…"

Both Naruto and Kakashi flinched as they put her statement together with the single senbon still in her hand.

"So." Kakashi said in an attempt to change the subject. "How long before Anko loses patience with Doto and sumons us to put him out of her misery?"

"About now." Naruto chuckled. "I'll leave some clones to seal the prisoners and the _intact_ armor for delivery to Konoha."


	58. A Chunin Triumphant

"Both captives… and corpse… sent back to Konoha." Naruto said. Predictably, Kakashi didn't even bother to look embarrassed over the fact that he was the only one who had killed his adversary rather than capturing them for Ibiki to question.

"Team ten ready for action." Asuma stated from where he and his trio of genin had been waiting after Naruto had brought them back from Konoha. "What's the plan?"

"We don't know much beyond the fact that Anko's in a room on that airship thing." Kakashi said, pointing at the distant speck just above the horizon. "I'd suggest two waves. Team Hiraishin first, then your team brought in by Naruto's clones in order to help secure the airship."

"Yeah, makes sense." Asuma agreed. "We're primarily a capture team with a secondary of defense, great for backup, not so great for taking down large numbers of enemies."

"By the way, how's Yukie-san?" Naruto asked.

"I think she's about to marry that lech Jiraiya or something." Ino grumbled. "She's _always_ on his arm and laughing at his stories…"

Hinata and Naruto exchanged horrified looks.

"I thought that Pervy-sage's boasts _were_ just boasts…" Naruto breathed.

"It's not like that." Asuma sighed. "Jiraiya's been assigned as her protector while in Konoha and several of our other shinobi are helping. Heck, Ino's dad's giving her some covert therapy. With luck, we'll be able to persuade her to accept a couple of advisers when she claims the throne of Snow, giving us another ally. Given what lies ahead of us, the more allies we get, the better."

Naruto nodded in agreement, as did Hinata and Kakashi, then Naruto twitched.

"That was another pulse." Hinata mused. "Naruto-kun, Kakashi-senpai, I think we should go, or Anko-san will become annoyed with us."

"On it." Naruto declared, creating half a dozen clones who promptly took position beside the other shinobi. "Kakashi, do you want give the command?"

"Actually, I think I'll follow your lead." Kakashi said with an eye-smile. "Think of it as… another test."

Naruto gave him a flat look, then waved for the first two clones to get ready.

"Aim to surround Anko in five… four… three…"

.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" Doto laughed as he held the crystal necklace up so that it sparkled in the light. "At last, the key to the treasure that my damned brother hid away, the treasure that will let me build an army to conquer the lesser nations, then the greater ones! Soon, I shall rule over an _empire_!"

"I wasn't aware that this was a film." Yukie sneered from where she had been tied to a chair mounted in the center of the bridge. "I mean, you have the whole _villainous monologue_ down pat… did you write it yourself, or did you get someone who actually had a _brain_ to do it for you?"

Doto froze, his hand slowly descending as he turned to stare disbelievingly at his niece.

"You do realize that the only reason I'm keeping you alive is in case your father encoded the lock to your chakra, right?" He asked and Yukie tossed her head defiantly.

"Ha! You really think that you'll be able to get whatever you're after?" She scoffed. "By now, those three idiots you sent down have been defeated and you are about to join them."

Doto blinked several times, trying to work out why she wasn't reacting like he had expected her to.

"Your plan is ill-thought out and makes no allowance for things going wrong." Yukie continued. "Things like unexpected shinobi, for instance."

A trio of people suddenly materialized around Yukie, dropping into defensive stances.

"About time." Yukie said as she was suddenly engulfed in smoke. "What kept you?"

Doto's eyes widened as Yukie was replaced by a female shinobi wearing little more than a skirt and coat with fishnet mail, a shinobi who shed the ropes binding her as easily as if they hadn't been tied in the first place.

"Guards!" Doto screamed and the hatch at the back of the bridge opened, revealing a dozen of his soldiers. "Kill the intruders!"

Another four shinobi appeared and the oldest of the newcomers pointed at Doto.

"You three capture him, we'll take the others down! Hinata, bridge crew!"

Doto raised his hands to begin making the signs that would unleash a smaller version of his main attack, only for his arms to freeze.

"Heh, looks like chakra armor doesn't block my shadow bind." The teenage boy with the pineapple hairstyle smirked as the other shinobi tore into his guardsmen. "I was worried that this would be troublesome… Choji, thunderclap him."

Doto strained to escape as the second boy stood before him, his arms spread out, then Choji swung his arms forwards and Doto found himself turning so that the suddenly-large hands slammed into him from the front and rear at once, leaving him feeling as if a pair of barn doors had hit him. A sparking from his chestplate indicated that the impact had shorted out his chakra shield, then the girl spoke, her hands forming a handseal he'd never seen before.

" _Shintenshin no jutsu_!"

.

Naruto lunged forwards, his hands flickering as he used everything Tenten had taught him to send a barrage of shuriken screaming into the room filled with Doto's thugs. Although the shuriken were too small to deliver any fatal injuries to the armored warriors, the ricochets and resulting cuts caused almost half of them to flinch, stumble and even fall, hampering the attacks of the other guards. One guard managed to lunge forwards and Naruto delivered a chakra-infused tree-felling punch that sent him hurtling to the rear to the guardroom.

Kakashi and Asuma accelerated past Naruto and plowed through the first rank without even slowing, Asuma's blades seeming to ripple due to the _futon_ chakra layered over them while Kakashi's kunai sparked with _raiton_ chakra, glowing trails briefly showing the arcs and slashes that he used against his targets. Within seconds, all of the guards were down, crippled or unconscious.

"…wow." Hinata said quietly as the last member of the bridge crew collapsed by her feet. "I… I've never _seen_ someone attack like that before… wow."

"Doto captured!" Choji announced and everyone turned to see Doto, his armor removed, writhing and squrming as he tried to escape the ropes that held him captive, his threats and shouts muffled by the gag in his mouth.

"Nice work." Asuma said as he send a pulse of _futon_ chakra down his knives to clean the blood off them before returning them to their concealed holsters. "Now, what do we do about the other airship?"

"They won't know that anything's happened." Naruto stated. "If they find out, I can throw a kunai across and use that to jump."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as he examined the controls, ignoring the groaning pilot slumped to one side. "So, where are we headed?"

"Naruto, send the survivors to Ibiki." Kakashi commanded. "And bring back Yukie and Jiraiya."

"Hai!"

.

"Over there, that valley." Yukie (or as she now agreed to be called, Princess Koyuke) said, pointing to an otherwise unremarkable dip between two of the lower mountains that surrounded _Kajiyachō_ , the capital city (and primary locus of manufacturing) of the Land of Snow.

"It'll be interesting to see what this treasure is." Jiraiya said from where he was sat at a portable desk, his pen darting over several pages as he worked on turning one of his books into script form, Sandaya standing just behind him and occasionally offering advice on word choice and how things would appear through a camera. "Princess?"

"I don't know." Kuyuke said with a helpless shrug. "Father said that it would end the eternal grip of winter, but he never went into details. Not even the teams he commanded knew what he was up to."

"I only managed to rescue Koyuke from her uncle's forces because of their sacrifice." Kakashi said from his perch by the window. "The engineers covered our escape… quite explosively."

"I remember the explosions." Koyuke confirmed in a whisper. "Once I've taken my throne, I'll have a monument built for them."

A long silence settled over the shinobi on the bridge, only for it to be broken by an unexpected source.

"You know, I don't think I've ever been here before." Kurama mused as he looked out of the floor-to-ceiling glass wall at the slowly-scrolling landscape below. "Huh. Over four centuries of running around avoiding people and it never once occurred to me that simply by snuggling down in a snowy valley, I could stay hidden."

"I… have no clue what to say about that." Kakashi admitted.

"Altering course, starting our descent." Shikamaru said from his position behind the control wheel. "Sensei, can we get one of these? It beats walking, hands down."

"Sorry, but it's a bit too obvious." Asuma sighed. "We need stealth for capturing our enemies and this thing can be seen coming from miles away."

Shikamaru sighed and turned his attention back to the control levers.

.

.

The airship came to rest with only one bump and Shikamaru nodded in satisfaction as he slowly shut down the engines.

"The other ship is landing behind us." Hinata said, the veins around her eyes bulging as she observed the other craft. "Only twenty people on board… most of them still putting the final bits in place."

"Uncle deployed an airship _while it was still under construction_?" Koyuke gasped in horrified shock. "What was he thinking?"

"I'll head over and deploy clones to take them down." Naruto said as he transformed to look like the now-in-captivity Doto. "I'll leave a couple of clones to bring reinforcements over. Sorry, Shika, but I think Hinata and Kakashi are best for this."

"Recon and assassination." Asuma nodded. "Once they've landed, I'll escort Koyuke-sama to the place her father told her to put her necklace before…"

Asuma trailed off rather than talk about the assassination of the previous Daimyo of Snow, earning a grateful look from Koyuke.

"I'll go with you." Kurama said as he trotted across from the windows. "I'm sensing odd chakra around here and I want to see what it is."

"Then we have a plan." Naruto said as he strode out of the hatch and stepped down to the ground.

"Be careful!" Hinata called after him and Naruto waved at her before concentrating on projecting the air of arrogant entitlement that Doto had displayed right up to the point where he had been overpowered. As he walked towards the airship that was touching down, he put a slight scowl on his face. The expression worked and the outer hatch was snatched open even before he had arrived at the bottom of the three steps leading up to it.

"Lord Doto." The captain saluted. "What are your orders?"

Naruto raised his hands and suddenly the cabin was filled with duplicates who moved almost instantly, taking down the crew before they could do more than start gawking. An instant later, Kakashi and Hinata were beside him, looking round.

"Huh, you could have left some for us." Kakashi half-joked as the last crewmember was tied up.

"Well, let's scroll them up and… send them to Konoha?"

"Actually, I have a better idea." Naruto interrupted. "Remember where Gato's men were put back in Wave?"

"The quarry." Kakashi agreed. "Do you think that they'll let us use it for that again?"

"I'm already asking." Naruto countered. "Aaaaaaand…. Yep. Tazuna says to go for it. Hah! Cheeky bastard's threatening to charge it as a C-rank since these guys'll need guards to keep them from running off."

"Tell him we'll knock a high-D-rank off the reparations owed and then send a message to the outpost to get them to provide the guards until someone can sort out those merely following orders from those who actively supported Dono." Kakashi decided. "Oh, and send a clone to Tsunade to let her know my decision."

"Already on it." Naruto laughed, then he blinked. "Um, wasn't it all snowy out there a moment ago?"

"What. The. Hell?" Kakashi asked in shock.

.

"Climate generators." Asuma said as the trio jogged towards him, glancing round at the giant slabs of faintly-glowing mirror-rock arranged around the central crystal pillar. "Sanduya was kind enough to explain it to us… thanks for letting us use two of your clones to retrieve him, by the way, it turns out that he was assigned to protect the project manager in addition to his other duties. The generator creates a bubble which warms things up inside it, allowing for more crops to be planted and so on. Apparently it's based on an old Uzumaki design."

"Like the one that Kono…" Kakashi started before cutting himself off. "Oh, right. While you're probably cleared for that info, Naruto, I'm afraid that you aren't, Hinata. Sorry."

"Hey guys." Shikamaru called from where he and his team-mates were standing guard over Koyuke and Sandayu. "The report for this mission is going to be very troublesome…"


	59. A New Team Seven

Tayuya looked up as three people entered the clearing where she was sat. Rising to her feet, her eyes widened as she recognized the leader. Dressed in a black Jonin uniform with an undersuit of mesh armor and a metal gauntlet was Sarutobi Hiruzen, with two genin following him, a green-haired white-clad girl being orbited by an odd bug of a sort that she'd never encountered before and a pale-skinned dark-haired boy who wore a trousers and a shirt that left his stomach exposed.

"Ah, Tayuya." Hiruzen smiled. "How did your induction go?"

"…okay." Tayuya muttered, remembering the odd feeling of the loyalty- _genjutsu_ that Ibiki and the red-eyed Jonin had implanted in her mind.

"Excellent." Hiruzen smiled as he motioned for her to sit back down on the log. As the other two sat down next to her, Hiruzen produced a camp-stool and unfolded it before sitting down.

"So, good morning, team." He smiled. "Just so you know, you are the new Team Seven and the second Team Seven that I have been the Sensei of. Now, let us introduce ourselves, I'll demonstrate. I am Jonin Sarutobi Hiruzen, formerly the Sandaime Hokage. I have a wide range of skills including the Monkey Contract and I taught the Sannin, although Orochimaru was my greatest failure. My likes are learning new things, teaching and calligraphy. I dislike those who try to harm the innocent or those I protect and my dream is to ensure the Will of Fire is spread to all Shinobi."

Tayuya stared in shock at the old man, his benevolent smile totally at odds with her memory of how he looked destroying Orochimaru in combat.

"Fu next! Fu is Genin Aburame Fu of Konoha! Fu knows strong moves, but is weak in basics, but Fu is ready to learn! Fu likes Chomei, Naruto, Hinata, Fu's new family and all of Konoha! Fu not really like Takigakure… Fu's dream already true, Fu has friends and can make more!"

Tayuya blinked several times at the younger girl's entheusiasm, then stared as the giant bug spoke in a buzzing voice.

"Chomei is friend of Fu and lucky to know her. Chomei helps make Fu strong. Chomei likes Fu, older brother Kurama and Fu's new family and friends."

"Thank you, Chomei." Hiruzen said as Chomei settled on Fu's back, claws digging slightly into her padded jacket for purchase.

"I am Sai." The boy said almost tonelessly. "I have been trained to be a strong shinobi and follow orders. I have no real likes or dislikes, neither do I have any dreams."

"I'll see what I can do to help you with that." Hiruzen said with a slight frown.

"Ummm. I'm Tayuya." Tayuya said after she realized that everyone was watching her. "I specialize in long-range genjutsu and attacks by summoned entities I control with my flute. I don't know what I like any more, but I _hate_ Orochimaru for what he and his pet rat Kabuto did to me. My dream is to see him dead… again."

"We'll have to expand your repertoire of moves and find you a hobby." Hiruzen mused. "Alright. All of you are, please don't misunderstand me, broken to a degree. Fu, you're the least broken, but how Taki treated you has left scars, scars which I hope will fade in time, especially now that you can manifest Chomei thanks to Naruto's help. Sai, your Root training has left you woefully incapable of understanding emotion. You _will_ undergo therapy to undo some of the damage. Other than that, only time will heal you. Tayuya…"

"I know." Tayuya sighed. "I'm bloodthirsty, don't really trust anyone, rely too much on my flute and without my curse seal, I'm far weaker than I used to be."

"But you understand yourself." Hiruzen said approvingly. "After our training and testing is over, I've asked another former Sound-nin, Tsuchi Kin, to show you around Konoha."

"Wait, _Kin_ 's the one that scary-san was talking about?" Tayuya gasped and Hiruzen chuckled.

"Scary-san… I wonder if Ibiki knows you call him that?"

"Wow." Tayuya mused. "Kin's still alive? How?"

.

* * *

.

"You look like you were training with Gai-san."

Tayuya cracked open an eyelid to see Tsuchi Kin smirking at her with amusement.

"…Gai?"

"Taijutsu master." Kin supplied as she dropped down to sit beside the prone kunoichi. "Wears a green spandex unitard, has an apprentice named Lee who looks like a smaller version of him. If you hear them starting to shout each other's names, look away as quickly as you can, otherwise it'll scar you even more than anything the Hebi-teme did."

Tayuya opened her other eye so that she could give Kin a disbelieving look.

"I'm serious." Kin stated. "The others call it the _Sunset Genjutsu_ , although I once heard Asuma-san call it the _Excessively Youthful Man-hug_."

Tayuya's disbelieving look intensified.

"So." Kin said as she knelt down by Tayuya's side. "I heard they rebuilt Team 7 in order to take you in. You should be honored."

"Too tired." Tayuya moaned. "Chakra exercises… new taijutsu style… so much to learn…"

"I felt the same way." Kin nodded. "I adapted. The training here's… _different_. No scrambling for your life as people who want to take your position try to kill you, no constantly sucking up to those stronger than you in the hope they'll slip up and show you something you can use to try and get stronger yourself. Nope, here, we learn from those who _want_ to teach us and help us grow stronger. Of course, once again, you end up with a better teacher…"

"I didn't hear you complaining earlier." A new voice laughed and Tayuya managed to lever herself into a sitting position despite her aching muscles. "Hello, I'm Jonin Yuhi Kurenai, Kin's Sensei."

"She's cool." Kin grinned, then she scowled. "Although she seems to be affecting me. I've laughed more since joining than I have in my entire life up to that point."

"That just means you're getting used to actually _living_." Kurenai countered as she pulled Tayuya to her feet and slung one of Tayuya's arms over her shoulder. "Speaking of, I sent my friend Anko to round up the girls and… oh, come _on_ , Kin. She isn't _that_ bad."

Kin looked up from her shivering crouch. "She is!"

"Kin."

Kin sighed and slowly walked towards Keurenai and Tayuya. "Fine. So, what did you have planned?"

"Not sure I can do it." Tayuya groaned. "So… tired… need… to… relax…"

.

"This is _so_ relaxing…" Tayuya moaned as she floated in the warm water.

"I had to be _pulled_ out the first time I came here." Kin remenisced, causing Ino to giggle in memory.

"So, taught by The Professor himself." Anko said from across the pool. "Lucky girl. All I got was the snake-bastard."

Kurenai placed a hand on Anko's shoulder as Tayuya shrugged.

"Yeah, I get the one who's killed Roachy once. Damn bastard had Kabuto use me to bring him back, though."

"How _did_ you escape, though?" Anko asked curiously. "I mean, it must have been quite a journey for you and 'nai-chan mentioned that your chakra control was still iffy…"

"I recovered in time to avoid being thrown into the Gladiator Pits by the regular patrol." Tayuya said, her voice dark with memory. "I made my way to the medical halls, but when I got there, I overheard Kabuto talking about disecting me to see what effects the Curse Seal had caused on me. I managed to sneak out and almost literally stumbled across a Konoha border patrol, I had them shove me in a prisoner scroll and send me here by messenger hawk."

"Why the _hell_ didn't we ever think of doing that?" Anko groaned, slapping her forehead. "What a way to get the wounded off the field and to the hospital…"

"I wondered where that idea came from." Kurenai admitted, causing Anko to look at her curiously. "You haven't checked the Jonin Board yet? The technique's mentioned in the _new tactics_ section."

"I've been busy!" Anko protested.

"Jonin board?" Kin queried. "Is there a _genin_ board?"

"Ye-eeeesss, but generally your Jonin-Sensei makes sure you know everything you need to know." Kurenai said. "The board… well, room-slash-archive actually, is mainly for independent genin."

"Like Naruto-kun before he was promoted." Hinata supplied. "I… wonder if I qualify as an independent genin now…"

"With all the training you've done and the mission you just completed, I think you'll be in line for a promotion to chunin before long." Kurenai replied.

Tayuya glanced at the Hyuuga girl, then looked up to where Chomei was perched on the fence surrounding the pool.

"I never got to ask…" She began. "Chomei… summons?"

"It's… complicated." Hinata said after a long look at the half-asleep giant bug. "But, yes, I think that the term _Summon_ can be applied."

"Chomei helped by Gamamaru." Fu chirped from where she was floating just by the small waterfall that fed the hot pool. "Chomei is Fu's first friend and… _glubglub_!"

Fu broke off as she drifted under the cascading water, emerging spluttering and coughing as Ino swam across to check on her.

"Fu is alright." Fu stated as Ino helped her re-wrap the towel covering her hair.

"Summons. Huh, explains a lot." Tayuya mused as she looked once again at Chomei.

.

* * *

.

A snake made of ink slithered into the bushes and an instant later, the bushes ahead of them rippled as a barrage of blunted shuriken were fired out of them.

"…and I thought that _Kidomaru_ was good at traps." Tayuya said in awe as the three genin began slowly advancing towards the next safe-square which was barely visible along the path.

"This is only _Ino's_ course." Fu grinned as above them, Chomei fluttered between the branches, scanning for the other traps that they knew were almost certainly there. "Fu has heard terrifying stories about courses that Naruto buil- _deeeek_!"

Sai leapt into the air, his tanto flashing and Fu tumbled back down to the ground, a severed noose-trap around her right foot.

"Fu not like snares." The Jinchuuriki grumbled and Tayuya nodded in agreement, having had the annoying experience of being dangled upside-down near the start of the course.

"Sai," She said, "How come _you_ haven't been caught in a single trap yet?"

"My training included instruction in the setting, detection and disarming of traps." Sai replied emotionlessly.

"Great!" Fu chirped. "Sai can warn us where traps are and we can learn from him _how_ to spot them!"

Sai blinked a couple of times, then gave a fractional nod.

"Three paces ahead of us is a tripwire." He stated and both kunoichi froze, their eyes scanning the ground.

"I don't see it." Tayuya finally admitted and Sai dropped to one knee, carefully moving a solitary leaf to show the gleam of metal underneath.

"…how?"

"The leaves on the path did not match the trees that were on the side of the path." Sai droned.

"So someone moved them simply to cover the wire!" Tayuya realized. "Wow, Ino's _sneaky_!"

.

* * *

.

"Good morning, team."

"Good morning, Sensei."/"Morning!"/"Hokage-sama."

"Sai…" Hiruzen began, then he sighed. "Never mind. Anyway, I know it's been only a fortnight, but you have made enough progress to begin performing missions. Now, the missions themselves may seem pointless, but they double as training in the skills you will need in your careers. For instance, the infamous _Tora_ mission provides training in tracking, interception, non-lethal capture and keeping a prisoner from escaping. Cleaning one of the parks can provide excellent training in stealth, as you don't want the civilians to see you, as well as observation skills meaning you will learn to spot things, no matter how well concealed. Gardening helps you to learn different types of herbs which can be a life-saver on missions outside Konoha."

"Fu thinks she gets it." Fu said with a firm nod. "All missions are training?"

"No, but you can include training in all your missions." Hiruzen gently corrected. "Now, as we head for the mission room, what other missions can you think of and how would they count as training?"

"Babysitting, bodyguard duties." Tayuya said after a thoughtful silence.

"Shopping! Identifying targets and making sure that the costs aren't too high!" Fu said excitedly.

"Dog walking. Chakra control to prevent yourself being pulled off your feet as well as physical workout." Sai supplied, earning surprised looks from his team-mates at the fact that he had actually volunteered information without direct orders.

"Excellent, you get the idea." Hiruzen smiled at them. "Well, let's see what mission awaits us."

Fu grinned happily as they approached the tower and Tayuya found herself smiling as well.

Being part of a proper team was the best thing she had ever experienced.


	60. A Chunin Promotion

"I'm what?" Naruto gaped and on the other side of the desk, Tsunade smirked at him.

"You heard me, you're now a Tokubetsu Jonin, primarily because of your _Hiraishin_ ability. Same reason for Hinata becoming a Chunin. Of course, this is where things get… harsh."

"I'm a chunin?" Hinata whispered. "I actually beat Neji in something?!"

Naruto blinked, then half-turned as the door behind them opened to reveal a familiar figure.

"Pervy-sage!"

"Brat." Jiraiya mock-scowled as he walked into the room, followed by several others. "You told him yet, Hime?"

"Just getting to it… _Pervy-Sage_." Tsunade shot back. "Naruto, you are a priority target for the Akatsuki. So is Fu, but her assignment means that she is as safe as she can be while still remaining on active duty. You, however, need to up your game. You have _Hiraishin_ , but there's at least two counters that we know of. You have the _Rasengan_ , but it's apparently still incomplete. Your other skills are good, but need to get better. Jiraiya."

"For the next two or three years, we'll be training you until you surpass us all." Jiraiya said, motioning to the other Jonin who had accompanied him. "Gai will work with you on your _taijutsu_ skills. Kakashi your _ninjutsu_. Kurenai has volunteered to help you with your weakness to _genjutsu_ while Yugao will be aiding with your _kenjutsu_. I'll help with your general fighting but not your _fuuinjutsu_."

Naruto blinked. "What? Why?"

"The Great Toad Sage has decided that _he's_ teaching you the way of seals." Jiraiya admitted. "Said something about keeping an eye on something he discovered when he helped you. I know Hinata's been helping you with reading and writing, but you probably need to make sure your calligraphy is up to scratch before taking the first lesson."

Naruto nodded in shock.

"Cheer up." Jiraiya laughed, slapping the shocked Special Jonin on his shoulder. "You should be honored, we'll all be using your little trick to make _damned_ sure that you learn it right."

"Although the real you will be needed for actual sparring, there is no trouble at all utilising _Kage Bunshin_ for learning the katas." Gai explained, a wide grin spread across his face. "I have been talking to your most youthful fiancee about how learning from both perspectives allowed you to rectify your literacy problems with astounding speed and I believe that the same concept will be truly advantageous for the most youthful study ahead of you!"

Kurenai gave Gai a long, considering look.

"I know." Kakashi sighed. "He does that. One moment, he's goofy Gai, then there's a sudden flash of insight that you're never quite sure about."

"That was not a very youthful thing to say, my eternal rival." Gai frowned.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

"Why must you always be so hip and cool?!"

Tsunade dropped her head into her hands.

"Who is Fu-san being taught by?" Hinata asked, then she frowned. "Hiruzen-sama, correct? He mentioned something about getting a new team."

"It took a while to get the third, but yes." Tsunade nodded. "Sensei doesn't idle very well, he _has_ to be doing _something_. Giving him a Genin team means he has a reason to keep going, the tough old coot."

"By the way, I'll be heading out soon, doing the rounds of my informants and sources." Jiraiya interjected. "I'll take one of the Kunai with me and I'll be summoning you every so often, either for training or because I want you to meet someone."

Naruto nodded, then a familiar voice spoke.

"Since the others are aiding you, so shall I. Hinata, Ko shall help you to teach Naruto-san the etiquette and protocol needed to avoid causing a war should he meet a high-ranking official."

"Thank you, father." Hinata said with a slight bow while Naruto was sputtering denials and protests before an elbow to the ribs shut him up.

"What _are_ you doing here, Hiashi?" Jiraiya asked, turning to look at the Hyuuga head curiously. "I know that I didn't grab you…"

Hiashi managed to smirk without changing his expression in the slightest. "I am the chief of the Hyuuga clan and Hinata's father. Why would I _not_ be here."

"Good point." Tsunade allowed as Jiraiya was still trying to come up with an answer. "Hinata, although my duties as Hokage take up quite a bit of my time, I do have enough time to train you up as a medic. You won't be the only one, Gai has started Sakura on the path to becoming a combat Iryonin and has asked for my input, so you can expect her to be attending the same classes."

"Understood, Hokage-sama." Hinata managed. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet." Tsunade said with a predatorial grin. "I'll make you the best medic I can… or break you trying."

"I won't break, Hokage-sama!" Hinata declared before blushing and moving slightly behind Naruto. Tsunade's grin widened.

"Excellent, that's the spirit."

.

"So, Jiraiya, what's the story about the Akatsuki?" Tsunade asked after everyone else had left.

"Itachi sent me a note via one of my contacts, the owner of a sweetshop near Konoha's northern border. All that time he spent learning to fake his Pocky addiction had really paid off. Akatsuki has gone silent because the former Mizukage died in combat, dispersing the Sanbi. Until it reforms, they are simply going to keep tags on the locations of the Jinchuuriki and Biju. Itachi'll send me a message when the Akatsuki decide to go active again."

Tsunade nodded slowly. "Speaking of Itachi, has he awakened his Mangekyo, like Sasuke?"

"The night he slew the clan." Jiraiya confirmed.

"Old Senju records said something about the Uchiha getting stronger by switching eyes." Tsunade explained. "I want to talk to Stoat. He'll need a boost if he's going to back up Naruto once the Akatsuki resume their plan."

.

* * *

.

As the sky darkened, Naruto and Hinata lay on a rug at the top of the Hokage Monument, Kurama acting as their backrest as they watched the stars slowly appear.

"Chunin." Hinata repeated, her voice filled with wonder. "I made chunin before Neji."

"You deserved it." Naruto agreed. "You realize that this opens up all the solo messenger missions for you… well, the ones the Guard, Kakashi and myself haven't claimed, anyway."

"The _Hiraishin_ does change things." Hinata agreed. "I wonder… could it be used in doorways? Say, one door at home, the other in the Hyuuga compound so I could go see Hanabi whenever I wanted, or she could come and visit us?"

"I… don't know." Naruto mused. "Something like that… a form of stable _Hiraishin_ … connecting places… when I visit Mount Myoboku for my lessons, I'll ask Gama-Dono. He's better at _fuuinjutsu_ than anyone I've ever encountered, so if there is a way, he'll know it."

"He taught father." Kurama supplied. "Father wouldn't have been able to seal his mother away in the moon if not for Gamamaru's lessons."

"Kurama," Hinata said after a long silence, "Is there any chance that you could tell us that tale?"

"Sure." Kurama said with a slight twitch of his shoulders. "But not just you. Tomorrow, I'll tell you both, your Hokage, anyone she deems important enough to listen to the story and, if she wants, Hanabi."

"Hanabi?" Hinata asked curiously and Kurama dropped his head so his jaw was barely above the ground.

"She's the only one who grooms me better than you can." He muttered, causing Hinata to giggle.

"Changing the subject," Naruto declared, "What do you want as your first proper Chunin mission?"

"Messgae relay to a beach." Hinata promptly declared, blushing slightly.

"Message relay… to a… beach?" Naruto repeated curiously and Hinata nodded. "Why?"

"You could join me and we could watch the waves together." Hinata explained as she wriggled slightly to snuggle against Naruto's side. "Maybe go swimming…"

"That would be nice." Naruto admitted.

"We could even build a sand castle." Hinata added. "Or simply enjoy our…"

"FLAMES OF YOOOOOOUTH!"

Both young teens jolted at the cry that echoed across the village, then Naruto started chuckling.

"Dammit, Gai." He laughed. "Way to kill the moment."

"I wonder if it counts as an assassination mission." Hinata wondered, causing Naruto to laugh harder.

.

Danzo sat in the living room of his home, having been forced out of his normal office.

ROOT, the organization that he'd built from the leavings of ANBU and shaped to be Konoha's blade was no longer his to control. Oh, he could trust Homara and Koharu to use his weapon to aid Konoha's growth, but they wouldn't follow his plan his scheme to topple the other villages and place Konoha at the apex, ruling over the entirety of the Elemental nations.

Danzo rubbed at the bandages over his transplanted eye, the one he had stolen from Shisui before his death. The technique he had used to persuade Itachi that killing the Uchiha had been the only way had still not recharged, or he would have used it on Tsunade to ensure that he retained control of his private army.

Danzo leaned back, his brow furrowed.

He was not yet out of the great game and so long as he still had his contacts, he could still attain his goal.

He only needed to consider the possibilities…

.

* * *

.

The condemned prisoner screamed in agony as the ash cloud condensed onto him, engulfing him and reshaping until the prisoner's form was replaced with a new one, a black-haired man clad in red armor. Behind the man, a translucent demonic head opened its mouth and exhaled a stream of gas that flowed into the standing figure. A moment passed, then the man opened his eyes to reveal purple ripples.

"Magnificent." Orochimaru purred. "A perfect fusion of the _Samsara of Heavenly Life_ and the _Edo Tensei Impure World Resurrection_ , bringing one of the greatest Shinobi ever back to life."

"And it was your work that made it possible." Pein confirmed as he stepped past the Snake Sannin before bowing to the new arrival. "Greetings, Madara. Welcome back."

Madara looked round, then down at himself, his eyes shifting between the rippled _rin'negan_ and the tri-barred red of his _eternal mangekyo_.

"Incredible." He breathed. "I am as strong as I was in my prime… if not stronger!"

Beside him, a spiky plant emerged from the ground, then the top split open to reveal the bi-colored form of Zetsu.

"Welcome back, Madara. **The plan has hit a delay, but now you are here, things can be sorted out.** "

Madara's gaze snapped to the inhuman figure.

"Tell me."

"The Sanbi has been dispersed. **It will be three years or so before it reforms.** "

"I see." Madara mused. "Three years… What are our resources?"

"All of Amegakure and Otogakure." Pein said, catching Madara's attention. "Welcome to the Akatsuki, Madara. Together, we shall bring a new age of peace to the world."

.

* * *

.

"Well, that's another day over with." Naruto sighed as he appeared in the middle of his living room, then he paused at an odd noise outside. Moving quietly, he crept to the door, motioning for the clones who had paused in their chores to keep working in order to avoid alerting whoever (or whatever) was outside.

Drawing a kunai, he flung the door open even as he used the _hiraishin_ to teleport to the tag he'd placed at the point where the path from his house entered the woods, dropping into a defensive stance as he checked the front of his house for whatever had made the noise. A moment later, his gaze settled on a piece of cord attached between the front door and the window, a cord which had a piece of wood suspended from it, as well as a paper fan that caught the breeze and caused the wood to bump against the wall.

"Odd." He mused. "That's obviously meant as a distraction, but for what?"

Returning the kunai to his pouch, he stepped forwards and had just enough time to curse.

.

"Yes!" Ino celebrated as she looked through the telescope. "At last! I _got_ him! It cost me a hundred and eight lemons and a box of paperclips, but I _finally_ got him!"

.

Naruto sighed as he looked down at the tattered remains of his uniform, then he looked round at the line of trees. Although he couldn't see her, he just _knew_ that Ino was watching, so he tossed off a quick salute before teleporting back to his living room.

While he could admire Ino's ability to finally get him in that trap, he would have revenge.

.

Sasuke sneezed and looked round to see if it was someone nearby who was talking about him.

When he didn't see anyone, he returned to his previous task of watching for the one man who could truly explain the events of _That Night_ and who could identify the true person he needed to exact vengeance upon, the man who Tsunade had ordered brought before her once he arrived, then a voice full of regret and sadness spoke from behind him.

"Hello, little brother."

"Hello… big brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My muse abandoned me around chapter 54 and thus made the last couple of chapters almost impossible to write, but I feel that I've finally reached an acceptable cut-off point for this story since it's around the time-skip anyway. I have left several sequel hooks in it in case I manage to develop my skills enough to deal with the stupidly large number of characters in Shippuden and thus decide to continue, but it looks unlikely.
> 
> As with most of my other stories, if anyone wishes to continue this, then it is up for adoption.
> 
> And yep, Ino finally got her own back on Naruto for the trap with the three lemons and paperclip.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Memories Of Others](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704579) by [Valentine20xx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valentine20xx/pseuds/Valentine20xx)




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